The mental health team at Ponderosa Elementary goes above and beyond to provide support to students and families in their community. In honor of their outstanding work, Ponderosa social worker Jenn Calabrese and psychologist Vy Turner were honored as CCSD Heroes.
“Vy and Jenn, you have made a difference in the lives of so many students. I’ve heard how excited your students are to come to school and to be here at Ponderosa,” said Superintendent Christopher Smith. “We are so grateful to have you in Cherry Creek Schools.”
In addition to supporting the varied needs of families at Ponderosa, Calabrese has launched several positive intervention systems for students, including multiple mentorship programs, art therapy, and more.
Ponderosa Principal Chad Gerrity said, “Jenn has an incredible pulse for the students' needs at Ponderosa. She works tirelessly to connect our families with resources, often having the ability to match families with resources that we don't know about, due to her extensive background working in child protection. She has incredible connections with students and is very intuitive. Her relationships with families, kids, and staff members are deep, and people in the Ponderosa community seek out her support on a daily basis. She has a ‘macro perspective’ that allows her to see systems in unique and innovative ways. She has a lot of connections in the community that allow our school to better support our kids and families who are in need. Her experience and insights are invaluable for what we are trying to accomplish at our school; she is an amazing asset, has a huge heart and tons of compassion.”
Turner has worked for Ponderosa for 11 years. She has offered constant and steadfast support to countless students in the Ponderosa community. Calabrese and Turner serve as leaders and role models both within Ponderosa and in the CCSD district mental health team.
“Vy does so much for all of our students! She looks at students as individuals. She is instrumental in putting together plans for our most vulnerable students in order for them to be successful. She partners with family members in a way that makes all parties feel included and a sense of belonging. She gives so much of herself to her work. She has been a dedicated team member in the Ponderosa community for many years. She also partners with classroom teachers to co-teach social/emotional lessons and to host community meetings to create spaces of safety for students,” said Gerrity.
Lauren Ross, who worked as a social worker in CCSD, said, “Jenn serves in multiple leadership capacities, both within Ponderosa and the larger mental health department. She is a critical member of the HEARTS implementation team to build systems and structures for trauma-informed care. She built a mentoring program at the school over the past two years. On the mental health team, she has served as a social work intern supervisor, as well as a group supervisor for social workers who are pursuing their clinical licensure.”
“Vy is a member of the school MTSS team and collaborates with teachers as they navigate the intervention process. In the mental health department, she has served in multiple leadership capacities. She has served as a mentor for new hires, a supervisor for psychology interns, and a peer level leader,” Ross added.
Thank you, Vy and Jenn, for all that you do for the Ponderosa community!
