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Tahoe Truckee Unified School District wellness centers to open

Special to the Sun
Submitted to aedgett@sierrasun.comChauncey Parker, a longtime advocate for at-risk youth, outdoor programs with a masters in clinical psychology is the Wellness Program Coordinator t the TTUSD Wellness Centers.
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TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. and#8212; Starting in January, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District high school students will have only to walk down their school hall to access an entire communityand#8217;s support and services.

The Wellness Center Project is a collaborative effort between the school district, community nonprofits and high school students. This project will create on-campus wellness centers at North Tahoe High School, Sierra Continuation High School and Truckee High School serving as entry points for students to connect to a supportive adult and access community wellness services.

Wellness Program Coordinator Chauncey Parker said the project is designed to support TTUSD students and families regarding physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, cultural and social well-being.



The project began when Truckee Highand#8217;s principal, Dr. David Putney, planted a seed more than year ago. Many community support organizations saw a need for a collective synergy between schools and services. They jumped on board to form a wellness committee to develop the idea. Kim Bradley, community liaison for Truckeeand#8217;s For Goodness Sake, took the initiative to author and submit a grant to Placer County. When the county approved the grant, the committee hired Parker to lead the effort.

To address the challenge of creating a wellness center that students will in fact use, Parker explains students have been part of the process from the start. and#8220;A key component of this project is that students are actively involved in the planning and shaping of the wellness centers at their school sites,and#8221; said Parker. While staffers will be there for the students, helping them connect with informed and caring adults and peers and learn how to access services and support for themselves and others, he adds student input has been vital in order to ensure the centers are approachable and accessible.



Volunteers from numerous community organizations will staff the Wellness Centers. These individuals, who are trained to facilitate collaboration of diverse services, will help students to ask questions relevant to their well-being and provide referrals to community resources and services. Nearly a dozen community groups are collaborating to provide those services.

In addition to connecting students and families to community resources, the TTUSD Wellness Program will also facilitate presentations and workshops for students, parents, families and other community members.

An ultimate goal, Parker says, is to help students develop skills for personal resiliency, peer support, and leadership.

and#8220;The sense of community here is something I really love about this region,and#8221; Parker notes. and#8220;There is so much energy and such a clear, strong commitment behind this initiative. It feels great to have that connection here.and#8221;

Wellness Centers are slated to open on campuses in January.

and#8212; Provided by Switchback PR + Marketing on behalf of the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District

Chauncey Parker has many years of experience working with youth and adults as a mentor and teacher, facilitating collaboration, and working as a project coordinator.

His masters in clinical psychology and years as a mountain guide, Outward Bound instructor, and behavioral consultant for at-risk and troubled youth have uniquely prepared him for this position. Having lived in Tahoe for nearly 15 years, he has also been a member of the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue squad, and is currently board president for the Far West Nordic Ski Education Association. In his spare time, he is also a middle school cross country ski team coach.


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