Wellness Programs & Services

Since 2015, the MVLA Foundation has invested $270,000 in Wellness programs and services which have helped to lay the groundwork for building a healthy school culture.  For 2018-19, the foundation approved a grant for $120,000 to provide a CHAC therapist at each school.

Total 2017-18 Expenditures: $100,000

• CHAC (Community Health Awareness Council) therapist.
• Healthmaster software
• Kognito staff training
• Professional development for therapists and staff
• Wellness resources (cards, tools and supplies for therapists)
• LAHS specific activities
• MVHS specific activities
• AVHS specific activities

Wellness Expenditures for 2015-17

Total 2016-17 Expenditures: $120,000
Total 2015-16 Expenditures for Pilots: $50,000

• Challenge Success – a Stanford-based program which partners with schools to…
  • implement practical, research-based solutions to improve student health and increase motivation and learning.
  • encourage educators to create policies and practices that foster interpersonal and collaborative skills, adaptability and resilience, and the critical thinking and creativity needed to solve complex problems.
• CHAC (Community Health Awareness Council) therapist.
  • extra care is needed for seeing critical cases and self-referred students the same day.
• Healthmaster software
  • a digital wellness record for students, compliant with all current health privacy laws.
  • enables clinicians to have a complete record of services for students.
  • clinicians and staff can only see information appropriate to their positions.
• Kognito staff training
  • an interactive, virtual role-playing tool designed for teacher training. Teachers will use it to practice recognizing signs of distress in students and learn how to navigate conversation with students in crisis.  
• Wellness Centers
  • visit Wellness Centers at other high school campuses to determine feasibility for future MVLA master plan
  • research best practices and efficacy of programs
• Professional development for therapists and staff ( Stanford University, Dr. Amy Satzman, CHC)
• Resource Cards for students
• “Every 15 Minutes” program at MVHS
• Communications Week at LAHS
• Mindfulness Workbooks for 9th grade students (LAHS)
• REALgirl Empowerment program
  • sexual assault prevention and affirmative consent workshops
• Mission Be trains educators to bring mindfulness practices to their classrooms
• After school tutoring during review week
• YMCA activities for “at-risk students”
• PIQE – Parent Institute for Quality Education. 
  • a 10-week parent-education program for Spanish-speaking parents for whom English is a second language
• Staff wellness activities (yoga, zumba)

News & Info

• 5 Ways MVLA Supports Students’ Wellness, by Susan Flatmo, Ph.D. District Clinical Services Coordinator, January 2018
• Why Sleep Matters, by Susan Flatmo, Ph.D. District Clinical Services Coordinator
• Clinical Services, by Susan Flatmo, Ph.D. District Clinical Services Coordinator
• Topic: Student Wellbeing, EdSource Today “Highlighting Strategies for Student Success”
• Use of Social Media: Some Advice for Parents, by Susan Flatmo, Ph.D. District Clinical Services Coordinator, March 2018