Congratulations to our Director of Equity & Social Emotional Wellness, Michele Bledsoe, for being selected as a finalist for the eSchool News K-12 Hero Awards!

According to its website, the eSchool News K-12 Hero Awards recognize the dedicated efforts of education professionals across K-12 departments, including technology, curriculum, instruction, and administration. Thanks to Bledsoe, Puyallup School District was an early adopter of Hazel Health, providing every PSD student access to free virtual mental health care. These services provide timely, high-quality virtual mental health care regardless of a family's financial situation. 

Related: Free Mental Health Services for Students

Bledsoe recognized that leveraging ESSER funds to expand access to student mental health care was critical to mitigating the pandemic's effects. Because of her efforts, over 22,000 students across the district have access to evidence-based free virtual mental health care. Today, our students can receive care anywhere within minutes to days, compared to the national average of months.

Click here to view Bledsoe’s nomination profile.