“Being able to have a place where I can come calm down and get help when I need to really helped me get through junior year. It gave me a safe space in the school that I knew I could count on whenever I needed it.” —Senior Theatre Student
Student Wellness The past several years have taken a heavy toll on student wellness in communities across the country, and OSA has been no exception. When students returned to in-person instruction after a year and a half of remote learning, OSA saw that an unprecedented number were struggling—grappling with learning loss, anxiety, and stress. In response, OSA’s leadership acted with urgency to expand student support programs, most notably by hiring additional counselors and paraprofessionals for our Student Support Team. Last year brought new partnerships with community organizations to expand training and support on resiliency and healing, healthy relationships, trauma-informed practices, and restorative justice. OSA counselors also offered services and invited students to use their office as a respite space. In the spring, OSA developed plans to move to a Wellness Center model which will more comprehensively address students’ social-emotional, academic, and mental health needs. Beginning in 2023, students will benefit from having a dedicated space on campus where they can go for quiet time, counseling referrals, small group workshops, and resources on managing stress and anxiety. As we move forward, we are seeking philanthropic partners that can support an expanded Wellness Center that meets the needs of all students, their families, and our faculty and staff.
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