Riverside Unified School District on Thursday detailed the growth and impact of its districtwide wellness and engagement program, reporting expanded staff, new wellness centers at high schools and measurable gains in student supports.

Director of Wellness and Engagement Dr. Katarina Shanz told the board at the Nov. 6 meeting that the district’s work began in the 2015-16 cycle and has grown over 11 years into a multi-tiered system aligned with MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports). She said the district now offers universal, targeted and intensive supports (referred to in the presentation as levels 1, 2 and 3) and that wellness centers have been established at each of the district’s five high schools to provide on-site, immediate assistance.

"Nuestro objetivo es desarrollar resiliencia y esperanza," Shanz said, describing the program’s aim to remove barriers so students can access instruction. She told the board that level-1 supports teach expectations proactively and that level-2 and level-3 services provide increasingly targeted interventions, including small-group work, case management and individual therapy in partnership with community mental-health providers.

Staff presented outcome data the district said reflect program reach and effectiveness: more than 120 students had received individual behavioral support plans; 60% of teachers reported improved relationships with students; and 70% reported learning new classroom strategies through program training. Staff also said the district is administering longitudinal assessments begun in fall 2021 and reported a shift toward lower-risk levels among students assessed.

Members of the wellness team described services delivered through the high-school wellness centers, saying the centers offer individual and group counseling, crisis response, family engagement and referrals to external providers when needed. Andrea Salazar and other counselors noted that centers provide a calm, supervised space students can use during the school day and that two counselors are assigned to each high-school center to provide continuity.

Board members asked about utilization and family engagement. In response, staff said families are contacted in crisis situations and that parental authorization is required for ongoing individual counseling except in the limited circumstances where minor students of certain ages can consent under existing rules. Shanz emphasized that family involvement is a priority and that staff generally seek parent authorization for continuing services.

The presentation also noted broader investments in employee wellbeing, including an employee wellness fair and staff supports intended to sustain a trauma-informed workforce. Board member Dr. Tweet praised the program’s data-driven approach and urged continued investment even amid budget pressures, calling the services "fundamental" to student learning.

The board also recognized 18 schools for their implementation of California PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), with recognitions spanning bronze through gold and one school earning platinum-level fidelity, as explained by Dr. Sosa earlier in the meeting.

Why it matters: District leaders say accessible, school-based mental-health services keep students in class and support academic learning; the board’s continued funding and documented outcomes shape future budget and policy decisions.

Speakers

- Dr. Katarina Shanz, Director of Wellness and Engagement (district staff)
- Andrea Salazar, Lead High-School Counselor (district staff)
- Alex Hollis, School Psychologist (district staff)
- Mónica Gálvez, Counselor (district staff)
- Dr. Tweet, Board member (Riverside Unified Board of Education)
- Grace Lee, Student Board Member (student representative)

Authorities

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Actions

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