SANTA ANA, CA – The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) is modeling the adage “It takes a village to raise a child,” with the Grand Opening Celebration of the District’s Wellness Center that is designed to be a hub for community engagement for families, staff, and community members to collaborate and access resources that benefit students, the school, and the entire school community.
“SAUSD is committed to providing educational excellence to our families, and we understand that in order for our students to be academically successful that we must meet the needs of the whole child,” said Valerie Amezcua, President of SAUSD Board of Education. “This wellness center is a holistic approach that will work in collaboration with community organizations to provide our families with access to health education, social emotional needs, child development, academic expectations, parenting classes, and personal development.”
The District will collaborate with the City of Santa Ana, State and Federal Organizations, Mexican Consulate, Ambassadors of Compassion, and Orange County Department of Education among other organizations who are interested in providing resources that support the community.
Although the center will be located on the campus of Lathrop Intermediate School, located at 1111 South Broadway Street in Santa Ana, there will be a public entrance for anyone in the community who wishes to access the services. “While we will have a broader outreach to the general community at the District Wellness Center, we will have wellness centers at each of our 57 schools that focus on the specific needs of the school communities,” said Stefanie Phillips, Ed.D, superintendent of SAUSD.
A typical wellness center will have a welcoming environment that may include technology access, printers and telephone, teaching stations with projectors and screens, and resource corner. There will be workshops, community and academic resources, homework support, and opportunities for parents, students, and community members to volunteer at schools and to be a part of the decision-making process.
The ribbon cutting for the District Wellness Center is Friday, June 15, 2018, at 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The community is invited to attend.
