Laguna Beach High expands wellness amenities as district welcomes students back to school
The halls of Laguna Beach High were filled with the chatter of summer tales as students returned for a new year of classes in the Laguna Beach Unified School District.
After the first period of classes, star quarterback Jackson Kollock emerged from a nearby classroom doorway.
“I’m stoked,” Kollock said of beginning his junior year.
Kollock helped lead the Breakers to the CIF Southern Section Division 9 crown last season. A chance at back-to-back titles is just some of the excitement around campus this year.
District officials were enthusiastic about a couple of new additions to the high school, including a new student well space and a family resource center.
“We started this work in 2017, with the addition of our director [of social emotional support Michael] Keller and two social workers,” Supt. Jason Viloria said of the district’s focus on social-emotional wellness. “We’ve since expanded. We’ve added social workers at the elementary [level]. We’ve added additional school counselors at the middle and high school.
“This [well] space was just a necessary space for kids to be able to have a location that they can kind of congregate if they need a break, if they need to check in with somebody. The social worker’s office is right here, as well, but we want to make it inviting. That’s the intent of the windows and kind of the openness feel.”
Asked what the best thing was that he saw Thursday morning, Viloria said he enjoys watching new kindergarten students come to school for the first time.
Enrollment continues to trickle down in the public schools. In spite of that, Viloria said the district has retained its teachers, yielding smaller class sizes.
Forging relationships with students has also been a point of emphasis, a part of the job that is not lost on Cpl. Fred Yeilding, a school resource officer. Yeilding said he was at El Morro Elementary for school drop-off, where he said the kids were smiling and music was playing.
“You can’t be stoic, you can’t hide away,” Yeilding said of his connection to the kids. “The whole point of this position is to build relationships with the students, so they feel comfortable with you. You can’t be a person who is going to shy away from interactions with kids.
“You need a certain personality. You need to be outgoing, open, and that’s really what it’s all about — being available for the kids. There’s a big difference between vulnerable and available. I like to say that I’m available because I want to build those connections with the kids. Part of that is sharing my own story, what I went through in high school and the things I’ve learned along the way.”
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