Sunnyside counselors outline tiered supports, mental‑health referrals and gains from targeted SEL work

District student‑services staff delivered an in‑depth update on counseling and mental‑health supports, explaining how school counselors and a district mental‑health team work across three tiers to reach students with academic, social‑emotional and clinical needs.

A lead presenter (speaker 5) described Tier 1 as universal supports delivered in classrooms, Tier 2 as targeted small groups or interventions, and Tier 3 as intensive services requiring referrals outside the school. The presenter said elementary counselors deliver classroom lessons roughly 40% of the time, and cited process and outcome data the district collects to track impact.

Summit View counselor Alexander Inman (introduced by the district) described a Tier 1 empathy campaign for fifth graders that used a 15‑item Likert survey. Inman reported that just under 82% of 44 assessed students showed growth in empathy scores, with an average improvement of about 7%; five students showed declines and were slated for further, targeted Tier 2 work. “After the town hall meeting, we also encouraged all fifth graders and the staff to wear the color pink every Wednesday to remind them of the work,” the counselor said, noting the behavioral and referral reductions observed.

High‑school counselor Eric Estrada Grijalva (speaker 12) described outreach to increase dual‑enrollment participation through classroom presentations and messaging changes; he said targeted presentations to honors students led to increased selections of dual‑enrollment courses.

The presenters also reviewed mental‑health referrals: the district’s mental‑health team received 164 referrals this year and referred about 70 cases to outside agencies; case managers handled 242 referrals (133 for counseling/therapy/psychiatric evaluation). Presenters said some positions had been grant‑funded (AWARE grant, ESSER) and that gaps remain in staffing for sustained, intensive care at some sites.

Board members asked about parental notification, summer supports and pathways when counselors are unavailable; presenters noted district hotlines, GoGuardian alerts and planned parent meetings for dual‑enrollment families.

What’s next: Staff said they will continue to refine tiered practices, expand supports at Sunnyside High School with planned full‑time staffing and report back with additional data on student outcomes and graduation/withdrawal tracking.