News release
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, in partnership with the Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools program, has announced its list of America’s Healthiest Schools for 2022, including six schools from the Saugus Union School District.
In all, 406 schools nationwide earned recognition for the ways they’re activating health across one or more categories. Out of those 406, six are from the Saugus Union School District:
- Charles Helmers Elementary.
- North Park Elementary.
- Rosedell Elementary.
- Santa Clarita Elementary.
- Cedarcreek Elementary.
- West Creek Academy.
And of those 406 schools, 11 schools achieved recognition across all nine categories evaluated. Of those 11, two are in the Saugus district: Cedarcreek Elementary and West Creek Academy.
“The health of our nation’s schools requires everyone in the school community — students, staff and teachers — to be supported in all areas of their health and well-being,” said Laura Gallardo, chief operating officer of Kaiser Permanente Santa Clarita Valley. “We congratulate and celebrate these schools from the Saugus Union School District for leading the way and demonstrating what healthy schools can look like.”
In conjunction with the America’s Healthiest Schools announcement, Kaiser announced the awarding of an additional $15,000 community benefit grant from Kaiser Permanente to the Saugus Union School District to continue its work to foster social and emotional learning throughout the district. A check presentation was conducted at the district board meeting on Nov. 15 to celebrate the award.
“The Saugus Union School District is thrilled to be included in the grant awardees for the Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools Program. The support that Kaiser Permanente has provided SUSD has allowed us to do several things that benefit our student and staff well-being and mental health,” said Saugus Superintendent Colleen Hawkins. “The grant award this year will help us to implement our ‘calming corners’ that allow students a place to self-regulate when faced with frustrations, stress or effects of traumatic events. Everyone in our community has experienced trauma and struggling over the last two years and these dollars will help us to mitigate the effects of that trauma and allow our students to thrive at school. Thank you to everyone at Kaiser Permanente for their support of SUSD.”
The America’s Healthiest Schools program evaluated schools in these nine categories:
- Increasing family and community engagement.
- Improving nutrition and food access.
- Enriching health education.
- Implementing local school wellness policy.
- Bolstering physical education and activity.
- Strengthening social-emotional health and learning.
- Cultivating staff well-being.
- Promoting tobacco-free schools.
- Supporting school health services.
The complete list of America’s Healthiest Schools is available at HealthierGeneration.org/HealthiestSchools.
