New student resource programs benefit NPHS
After a traumatic year online and a less-than-easy return to campus, new student resources such as the Wellness Center and the Newcomer Program, are helping NPHS students transition into their new versions of normal.
The Wellness Center, established during the school’s tenure on Zoom, was created following a Ventura County survey asking where school districts should devote COVID-19 funding. This year, it is a physical room on campus, A-3, rather than virtually through zoom, run by mental health clinician Paige Pensivy.
Over the course of its establishment, the Wellness Center has been a safe haven for all students as a place to deregulate, get counseling or simply to relax. Maintaining mental wellbeing has been a major concern for students and was only escalated by the virus. The resources the Wellness Center provides are an invaluable investment into mental health and a much needed signal to the student body that the community cares.
For the number of students who have recently arrived from their native countries, the Newcomer Program has greatly aided in helping to acclimate these students to their new environment.
The Newcomer Program, which began in August, is a series of student supports including educational aides, social-emotional supports for families, free transportation, specialized classes, the English learner tutoring center and parent and student workshops, amongst many other programs which are developed as student needs are identified.
Due to the program, staff members are able to have direct communication with the students, enabling them to identify student needs and create immediate solutions. Since the program began, students have shown higher engagement with the presentations being held, asking questions, and using the resources provided. The Newcomer Program is one step further for the NPHS community, with native students now having a support system for their needs.
Seeing these student resources in action on our campus is an encouraging step forward for the school, and the Prowler praises the district for their efforts to support student wellbeing. Read more in detail about these various resource measures at NPHS on pages 8 and 9.
