Every school year students and faculty are faced with challenges, and this year Culver City High School is tackling the challenges that come with online school. One challenge that CCHS has been extremely considerate of when organizing the start of the school year is making sure students maintain good mental health during distanced learning. They’ve decided to change the Bell Schedule from stack schedule – every class, everyday – to block schedule -half of a student’s classes one day, and the other half the next- in order to allow students to take a break from their devices and focus on their mental health during this pandemic. To further their efforts, CCHS has implemented Wellness Wednesdays to ensure that students can maintain good mental health throughout the school year.

On Wellness Wednesdays students do not attend their regular classes. Instead, they can receive help from their teachers and counselors during school hours. Students can schedule appointments to meet with their teachers over Zoom to discuss topics that they need help with, or receive tutoring from Academic Mentors – students that did exceptionally well in a certain subject. Students can also schedule one-on-one appointments with their counselors to discuss anything they need guidance on. Counselors also provide a Wellness Wednesday Mental Health Form on the Counseling Homepage of the CCHS website, so students have an easy way to inform their counselors of their current mental state.

Wellness Wednesdays also provide a time period where the Associated Student Body can make announcements and connect with students. Every Wednesday, students meet in their online homerooms and watch a short video made by ASB. These videos often include announcements, important information, and tips for students. ASB also uses these videos to incorporate the theme of the month. In order to maintain school spirit, inform students of topics they may not have a lot of knowledge on, and make sure students are prioritizing self care, CCHS has created themes for each month of the school year. For September, Hispanic Heritage Month, ASB respectfully included information about Hispanic heritage/culture and quotes from impactful members of the Hispanic community in their Wellness Wednesday videos. By doing this, ASB hopes to connect with the students of Culver City High School and improve their morale during this pandemic.

These aren’t the only things students can do on Wellness Wednesdays. In Principal Dr. Cooper’s Centaur News – a newsletter sent out to students every week – she stated that students who don’t need to meet with counselors or teachers can do a variety of productive activities on Wednesdays: complete any unfinished work, study course materials independently or with a study group over Zoom, organize and plan for the rest of the week, and explore resources given to the students. By taking advantage of Wellness Wednesdays, students are able to stay on top of their work and lower the amount of stress that comes with the school year.

Wellness Wednesday is one of the many resources that CCHS has provided for its students during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Through meaningful videos and announcements, CCHS is able to ensure that students are aware of the mental health resources available to them during a time where self love and care are extremely important. By making it known to students that they have access to people that will support and care for them, CCHS has created a comforting environment for the many students that need a safe space during this unprecedented time.