Omar Lopez, a social worker with Behavioral Health Services (BHS), meets with students at Kings River Union School throughout his day. Lopez often plays board games with them or engages them in drawing. While the students are enjoying themselves, Lopez uses the time to check in with them about their struggles and successes in class or at home.
Lopez, along with BHS administrators Dr. Jennifer Newell and Mary Xavier, will be featured in a segment of ABC30’s upcoming Children First special, “Let’s Talk About Mental Health.” The BHS team will discuss how two grants are increasing the amount of mental health services Tulare County students are receiving, and how another grant – through the California Center on Teaching Careers – is helping to prepare more men and women to be social workers.Read more in the News Gallery Week.
Also in News Gallery Week: Theatre Company workshops planned for October; Teachers invited to register their students’ artwork for the annual Student Art Exhibition; Elementary and middle school teachers invited to prepare students for annual Reading Revolution competition; Districts train to implement Say Something school safety program
TCOE's CHARACTER COUNTS! Program is now accepting nominations for its 2022 “Kids of Character” Awards!'
Last year, Toyyon Swafford, an eighth-grade student at Pixley Middle School, was honored during CHARACTER COUNTS! Week and received the Provident-Salierno Family Foundation Citizenship Award. Toyyon saw a need in his community and did something about it! The young man helped distribute food to those in need and plans to become a chef – not for notoriety – but to leverage his skills to feed the hungry. That’s good character!
Through September 23, you can help recognize Tulare County Kids of Character in your communities and at your school sites. Teachers, parents, and family members are encouraged to nominate Kids of Character, in grades TK-12, as part of the 27th Annual CHARACTER COUNTS! Week Celebration (October 17 - 22).
