Behavioral Health & School Safety

Fostering Safe, Supportive, and Emotionally Sound Environments

At Glendale Elementary School District, the Behavioral Health and School Safety Department ensures that every child’s educational journey is supported not only academically, but also socially and emotionally. Our goal is to cultivate learning environments that are safe, nurturing, and conducive to each student’s overall well-being.

What This Department Covers

Attendance assistance, open enrollment coordination, and guidance for families
Consolidated support for parents and the wider community
School health services and oversight of mental and physical safety
Support under Section 504 to ensure every student’s needs are met
Delivery of Social and Emotional Learning led by specialists
Student behavior programs, disciplinary support, and intervention services
Coordinating disciplinary hearings

Contacts

Assistant Superintendent of Behavioral Health and School Safety
Ms. Norma Jáuregui
623-237-7160

Student Services Administrative Assistant
Nicole Maciel Munoz
623-237-7197

Director of Social and Emotional Learning and Mental Health Services
Ericka Cignaek
623-237-7165

Director of Student Services and Title IX
Sarah Balder
623-237-7133

Director for System of Care Center
Denis Parcells
623-237-5503

Coach for Multi-tiered System of Support and School Culture
Lydia Horstman
623-237-7195

Lead Nurse
Chelsea Dewitt
623-237-7133

Student Services Administrative Secretary
Juana Hernandez
623-237-7133

Quick Links

GESD System of Care Referral Form

GESD Behavior Intervention Matrix

Student Behavior Infractions

Areas of Support

Social Workers

Resources for Families

Referrals: School-Based Services

Glendale Elementary School District strives to provide equitable, proactive and consistent structures to develop social-emotional, behavioral and academic success in every child. GESD has partnered with community behavioral health agencies to respond to, and support students experiencing mental health and wellness needs. Students have access to counseling support during school hours provided by the following providers:

La Frontera

Challenger School
Harold W. Smith School

Southwest Behavioral Health Services

Glenn F. Burton School
Glendale Landmark School

Terros Health

Don Mensendick School

Touchstone Health Services

Horizon School

Referral Process

Referral Process

When there is a social, emotional or behavioral concern that is identified by an administrator, teacher, staff, student or parent, the following steps will take place:

1. Staff will discuss concern(s) with the student.

2. The level of concern and need will be identified.

3. A referral will be made for the student by staff to the school social emotional learning specialist (SELS), or to a district social worker.

4. The SELS or social worker will determine the level of need.

5. The student will receive support based on their needs.

Contact

Andrea Arellano

Director for Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Services

623-237-7165

Policy

Arizona Mental Health Referrals to Other Agencies Policy JLDABⒸ.

Social Emotional Learning

At Glendale Elementary School District (GESD), our teaching philosophy is in alignment with the idea of teaching to the whole-child. In addition to providing quality instruction, beginning this school year (2020-2021), teachers and staff will engage students in social and emotional learning each day for 20 minutes. GESD realizes and understands that before students can be ready to learn, they must first be in a state of mind where they feel safe, comfortable, and ultimately in a supportive environment. This new initiative will add another layer of skills that will help foster students to be effective communicators, establish and sustain positive relationships, and to be compassionate and caring adults.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), is the leading organization for researching and providing evidenced based practices. CASEL defines SEL as, “the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions”. GESD staff will utilize CASEL’s Five SEL Competencies to drive their SEL instruction. The five competencies include Self-Awareness, Self-management, Social-awareness, Relationship skills, and Responsible decision-making.

GESD is committed to ensuring students flourish into socially responsible leaders. Along with the classroom teachers, each school’s Social Emotional Learning Specialist (SELS), the newly added counselors and social workers will support students, families and staff with SEL.

You can learn more about CASEL and the Five SEL Competencies at https://casel.org/core-competencies/

Making Proud Choices

Making Proud Choices! is an evidence-based sexual health curriculum designed to help teens understand behaviors that put them at risk for pregnancy, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The curriculum consists of eight one-hour modules.

According to the 2017-2019 data provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services, the 85301, 853020 and 85303 zip code areas have higher STIs and teen pregnancy rates than the state average. The STI and birth rates data speak of the need for prevention in the Glendale area.

Visit the link below to view Making Proud Choices! Curriculum and follow the steps below:

Click here to start

1. Select: Login/My Account

2. Enter email address: reviewer@touchstonebh.org

3. Enter password: HealthyKids543

4. Select: Making Proud Choices! Digital Instructor Guide icon

5. Select: View Instructor Guide

6. Browse the curriculum using the right and left arrows

Registrants will have a 30-Day Sample Access

Physical access to view the curriculum is available at GESD's System of Care Center, located at:

7677 W. Bethany Home Road

Glendale, AZ 85303

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