Student Support Services
Services exclusively for students, parents, including pregnant mothers, infants, and toddlers enrolled our educational programs.
Disability Services
We offer inclusive education for children aged 0-5, collaborating with parents on individualized plans, referring children with suspected disabilities for evaluation, integrating IFSPs/IEPs into lessons, and providing parent workshops and resources for support.
Overview
Disability Services Overview
- Inclusive educational environment for children aged 0-5, including those with disabilities.
- Referral of children with suspected disabilities to San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center or Pomona USD Special Education for evaluation.
- Collaboration with Regional Center and Special Education to ensure children with disabilities receive necessary services.
- Incorporation of children's Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) or Individual Education Programs (IEPs) into weekly lesson plans.
- Collaboration with parents to develop individualized plans for children's success.
- Parent workshops offered to support understanding of supporting children at school and advocating for their needs.
- Additional resources provided to parents addressing specific concerns related to their child's disability, if needed.
Common Signs
Common Disability Signs
Learn the Signs
Concerned About
Development
Milestones
Children with Disabilities
Resources
Parent/ Guardian Resources
Early Start Intake
Parent's Place
Early Start Resources
Educational Resources
Captain
Teacher/ Staff Resources
Early Learning Domains
Inclusion Webinars
15-Minute In-Service
Affirm Modules
Workshops
Locations
San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center
75 Rancho Camino Dr.,
Pomona, CA 91766
(909) 620-7722
Special Education Office
Mendoza Center
851 S Hamilton Blvd,
Pomona, CA 91766
(909) 397-4648. ext.1
Staff
Disabilities Services Staff
The Disability Service and Mental Health staff at PUSD is available to provide consultations to parents, referrals for intervention support and referrals to community agencies to address children’s, parents, and families’ needs.
School Psychologists
Available Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-3:00 pm
Armando Montoya, M.S., PPS
School Psychologist
(909) 397- 4740 ext. 25863
Leslie Lopez, M.S., PPS, Ed.S.
School Psychologist
(909) 397- 4740 ext. 25432
Mental Health Services
Our early education programs aim to foster children's self-control, self-esteem, positive peer interactions, secure attachments, and emotional expression. Mental Health staff offer consultations, workshops, parenting strategies, classroom observations, and community agency connections, providing support during traumatic events. Feel free to reach out for assistance if needed.
Overview
Our goal is to nurture the development of every child enrolled in our early education programs, fostering their self-control, high self-esteem, positive peer interactions, secure attachments, and emotional literacy across a spectrum of feelings. Our dedicated Mental Health staff offers consultations and workshops for parents, equipping them with effective parenting strategies and tools.. They conduct classroom observations to provide tailored support for staff and facilitate connections with community agencies as necessary. In times of familial trauma, we stand ready to offer additional support and resources. Do not hesitate to reach out to us should you require assistance!
Common Questions
What is mental health?
Mental Health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being of children. It affects how children think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how children handle stress, relate to their peers, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life. Mental health looks at possible social, emotional, and behavioral concerns and it is important to overall health.
Why would a preschool age child need Mental Health services?
Concerns with social emotional learning such as difficulty managing behaviors, stress, emotions, or difficulty problem solving. In addition, latest research in child development has found that even very young children can be seriously affected by early life traumas, such as loss of a parent, divorce, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse in the family or frequent change in living situations. Young children can react to such trauma with various emotional distress and challenging behaviors. Without early identification and intervention, mental health issues may possibly interfere with healthy development.
How do I know if my child needs Mental Health services or help?
There are some behavioral indicators that can help determine if a child may be experiencing emotional difficulties: repeated tantrums or consistently behaves in a defiant or aggressive way; seems sad or unhappy, or cries a lot; withdrawal; change in eating habits; bed wetting and regression to earlier behaviors that they’ve outgrown, decline in school performance, poor academic growth despite strong efforts.
What kind of Mental Health Services do you offer for children and families?
The Mental Health Department is staffed by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, School Psychologist, and a graduate school Mental Health Intern. All offer consultations to families, make observations in child’s classrooms, conduct home visits, and meet with teachers and parents. In addition, staff is readily available to support parents during stressful situations, or any need or questions they may have in relation to mental health.
How can I start the process to get Mental Health services for my child or/and my family?
Contact your child’s teacher or family services advocate for a referral with Mental Health services. You can also contact the Mental Health staff directly via our Contact Us tab. And keep up to date on our webpage on parent webinars/ trainings available for FREE, and other parent resources.
Social & Emotional Learning
What is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)?
Social-emotional learning is the process of developing self-awareness, self-control and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. Individuals with strong social-emotional skills are able to cope with everyday challenges and benefit academically, professionally and socially. Individuals also possess strong problem-solving skills, self-discipline, impulse control, and can regulate emotions effectively, leading to healthier relationships and greater resilience in the face of adversity.
Social & Emotional Learning: What Is It and Why It Matters
Activities to support the development of social-emotional learning.
1. Make a Visual Schedule
Young children thrive on routine and schedule, and you can visualize that for them. A schedule or routine accompanied with pictures is a great way for children to complete tasks and promote independence. Try the following links for FREE printable schedules or get creative and create your own!.
2. Use a Feelings Chart
A feelings chart is an invaluable tool to support children in discovering and understanding their emotions. This promotes increased self-regulation and a fun way to have conversations with young children about their feelings. When a child is experiencing big emotions, ask children to point to the emotion face on the feelings chart, help them name it and support them to talk about their emotions.
3. Read Social Stories
Social stories are specific type of books that are geared toward promoting your child’s social-emotional learning (SEL); they help process and understand emotions through relating to the characters in the stories. If you would like some recommendations, please refer to our suggested picture books list tab. While reading the stories prompt your child with open ended questions such as: How do you think this character is feeling?, Why do you think (character) is feeling this way?, What would you do if you felt (emotion)?, How would you react?, What could you do to make (character) feel better?
4. Dance
Movement has been proven to increase children’s mood, self-regulation and helps children stay healthy overall. Dancing promotes increased emotional intelligence in young children and you can ask your child to move any way the music makes them feel.
5. Yoga and Mindfulness
Yoga and mindfulness activities are beneficial for young children as they are for us! These activities can teach your child how to relax and calm their bodies, allowing them to gain self-control and self-regulation.
Emotional Intelligence Books
Recommended Emotional Intelligence Books
Picture books are a great way for children to explore and recognize their emotions. Books are an easy way to strengthen you child’s social emotional intelligence while setting time aside for you to spend some quality time together. While reading together you can ask your child the following questions:
- Have you ever felt like that?
- What would you do?
- When do you feel like that?
- What happens to your body when you feel (happy, sad, proud, mad, etc.)?
- When are times you feel (happy, sad, proud, mad, etc.?)
Books for Anxiety
- Ruby Finds a Worry
- The Very Hungry Worry Monster
- Calm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Breathe Like a Bear
Books for Grief
- The Invisible String
- Chester Raccoon and the Acorn Full of Memories
- The Goodbye Book
- Always Remember
Books for Resilience
- The Thing LOU Couldn't Do
- How to Catch a Star
- Whistle for Willie
- The Carrot Seed
Books for Anger
- Llama Llama Mad at Mama
- My No, No, No Day!
- When I am Angry
- Angry Cookie
Books for Kindness
- Tomorrow I'll be Kind
- Kindness Makes us Strong
- If You Plant a Seed
- Pass It On
Books for Self-Esteem
- I am Every Good Thing
- Elephants Cannot Dance
- Perfectly Norman
- Skin Like Mine
Books for All Feelings
- The Color Monster a Story About Emotions
- Calm-Down Time
- My Body Sends a Signal
- How Do You Feel?
News & Updates
Staff
Mental Health Services Staff
The Mental Health staff at PUSD is available to provide consultations to parents, referrals for intervention support and referrals to community agencies to address children’s, parents, and families’ needs.
Licensed Clinician
Available Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Araceli Delgado
Senior Social Worker, LMFT
(909) 397- 4740 ext. 25608
Nutrition Services
Nutrition Services provides comprehensive services to infants, children aged 0-5, and pregnant women, offering education on various nutrition topics and counseling for addressing nutrition concerns such as underweight, obesity, anemia, and diabetes. Additionally, the program connects families with food bank resources and collaborates with PUSD Food and Nutrition services to ensure enrolled children receive nutritious meals meeting their dietary needs.
Overview
Pomona Child Development Nutrition offers services to infants and children ages 0-5 as well as to our enrolled pregnant women.
- We offer nutrition education including but not limited to Newborn feeding, Prenatal Nutrition and Food Safety, Introducing new Foods to Toddlers and Preschoolers, Healthy Eating on a Budget and much more.
- Nutrition counseling is also offered to assist in addressing nutrition concerns such as; Underweight, Obesity, Anemia, Dyslipidemia, Failure to Thrive, Diabetes, and other Nutrition Concerns requiring Food accommodations in our school sites.
- We continuously work on connecting our families with resources for food banks and other nutrition resources in the area.
- We work with PUSD Food and Nutrition services to ensure that our enrolled children are provided with nutritious meals, meeting their nutritional needs while enrolled in our program
Parent Involvement
Committees, Bulletin Board, and Learning Resources
Join the Governance team at Early Head Start and Head Start to shape services through the Policy and Parent Advisory Committees, fostering leadership and advocacy among families. Explorer the Parent bulletin board with essential information, updates, and resources. Discover a wide range of linked learning activities designed to enhance communication, encourage parental involvement in your child's education, and support their educational journey.
Student Technology
ClassDojo, Footsteps 2 Brilliance, Zoom, and Chromebook
Access our student technology support section to connect to essential platforms like ClassDojo, Footsteps 2 Brilliance, and Zoom, along with step-by-step instructions for Chromebook setup and Wi-Fi connection, ensuring smooth academic navigation for students.
