COVINA, CA – Covina-Valley Unified students, families, and dignitaries were greeted with a red carpet and balloons as they gathered at the new C-VUSD Health and Wellness Center for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 30, marking a new chapter in the District’s history of increasing access to vital mental and physical wellness resources.

The Health and Wellness Center, located at the former Lark Ellen Elementary School, has been in development for the past year. The space will offer students and families services and resources that help eliminate barriers to school success, including medical screenings, mental health screenings, counseling services, and more.

“Here at Covina-Valley Unified, we know that students learn best and achieve the most when all of their needs are met,” Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Eminhizer said. “We emphasize serving the whole student, and this includes providing for their physical and emotional health and wellbeing.”

The Health and Wellness Center will serve as a hub for the District’s social workers and the entire Health and Student Services Department, including a team of registered and licensed vocational nurses. Students and families will be able to visit the Center and meet with one of the District’s social workers, who can help them access resources such as gas cards, housing vouchers, transportation vouchers, and more.

The Center is also home to the District’s new Family Resource Room, a space where families can participate in parent-education workshops that will educate them on important mental health and medical information.

Students and families can also visit the Family Resource Room to receive a variety of necessities such as clothes, food, school supplies, and more. Many District community partners, including Baby2Baby and Shoes That Fit, were instrumental in helping to stock the Family Resource Room with resources.

“We are devoted to ensuring our C-VUSD community is thriving, which in turn helps our students to thrive” Covina-Valley Unified Board of Education President Maria Caceres said. “We are eager to provide our students and families with the complete care that they need.”

South Hills High School sophomore Emily Reyes kicked off the ribbon-cutting event by singing the National Anthem, followed by a performance by the Las Palmas Middle School Jazz Band. Dr. Eminhizer and Ms. Caceres delivered speeches that highlighted the Center and invited the dignitaries in attendance to present certificates in support of the project. Attendees were then free to tour the new Center and hear more from District social workers and nurses about the available resources and services.

“With the opening of this Center, we are thrilled to offer a full-service location where our students and their families can access resources that best fit their needs,” Dr. Eminhizer said. “We are so proud of the space that we have created, and can’t wait to see our students utilize the Center and watch them continue to thrive in their lives.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

CVUSD_RIBBON1: (From left to right) Covina-Valley Unified Board of Education Vice President Maria Cruz, Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Eminhizer, Board President Maria Caceres, and Board Clerk Simon Wright prepare to cut the ceremonial ribbon, officially opening Covina-Valley Unified School District’s new Health and Wellness Center on Jan. 30. The new Center will serve as a full-service location where students and families can access resources and services that help eliminate barriers to school success.

CVUSD_RIBBON2: Covina-Valley Unified School District’s new Health and Wellness Center is home to the District’s new Family Resource Room, a space where families can participate in various parent-education workshops. Students and families can also visit the Family Resource Room to access important resources such as clothes, food supplies, school supplies, and more.