April 2026 Monthly Newsletter

APRIL 2026 BARSTOW UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Page 5 AROUND THE DISTRICT

Jose Lopez- Govea Barstow Fine Arts Academy

Shelley Carlson Skyline North Elementary

Jossy Zamora-Vargas Crestline Elementary

Amanda Wright Cameron Elementary

Yulissa Godinez Montara Elementary

Francesca Zaffino Lenwood Elementary

Amber Smith Henderson Elementary

Supporting the Whole Child: Meet Our Elementary School Counselors At Barstow Unified, we believe academic success depends on students feeling safe and supported. Our elementary school counselors are proactive partners in every child's well-being, moving beyond just crisis intervention.

What Does an Elementary Counselor Do? Counselors focus on three key areas:

● Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): They teach life skills like empathy and conflict resolution in classrooms. ● Small-Group Support: They lead groups on topics like friendship, self-confidence, and coping with grief or change. ● Individual Check-Ins: They offer a safe, confidential space for students to feel heard.

Supporting the Whole Child Emotional support improves attendance and academic performance. By focusing on the "whole child," counselors remove learning barriers like anxiety. As one counselor said, "Our goal is to be a bridge between the classroom and the home... every student has an advocate." Meet Our Elementary Counseling Team We recognize the dedication of our counselors: Barstow Fine Arts Academy: Jose Lopez-Govea; Cameron Elementary: Amanda Wright; Crestline Elementary: Jossy Zamora-Vargas; Henderson Elementary: Amber Smith; Lenwood Elementary: Francesca Zaffino; Montara Elementary: Yulissa Godinez; Skyline North Elementary: Shelley Carlson. Their compassion and expertise support our students daily. How Families Can Connect Counselors are also resources for families, offering guidance on home routines, local resources, and child development. Connect by: Visiting your school's website, Calling the front office for the counseling department, or Requesting their participation in parent-teacher conferences.

We are proud of our team's impact. Please thank them—they are the heart of our schools.

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