{"id":11315,"date":"2025-10-18T11:20:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T11:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/11315\/"},"modified":"2025-10-18T11:20:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T11:20:38","slug":"how-a-san-diego-preschool-helps-domestic-violence-survivors-heal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/11315\/","title":{"rendered":"How a San Diego preschool helps domestic violence survivors heal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for\u00a0WhatMatters<\/a>\u00a0to receive the latest news and commentary on the most important issues in the Golden State.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Gibot\u2019s son James was normally a quiet and well-behaved toddler. But she noticed he began to cry more and appeared anxious whenever she wasn\u2019t around. He also stopped using the sign language she taught him as a baby. She knew something was wrong, so she reached out to their pediatrician, but the doctor couldn\u2019t provide any help or answers.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe regressed from everything that I had taught him,\u201d she said. \u201cI guess it was very hard for other people to notice because nobody knows your child more than you.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the time, Gibot had just left her partner, who she said was physically, verbally, emotionally and financially abusive. She tried to shield James when things got confrontational, but living in a small house made it unavoidable at times.<\/p>\n

Gibot began searching for resources online. She stumbled upon Mi Escuelita<\/a>, a preschool in San Diego dedicated to students who have experienced family trauma, such as domestic violence. After some thought, she enrolled James.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cJust that alone was a huge weight off my shoulders, knowing that he\u2019s going to be here and with professionals that are going to help him, in ways that I could never. I mean, at least not in that moment in time,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\"A
\nElizabeth Gibot and her son James Gibot received mental health services offered to Mi Escuelita students and their families.<\/p>\n

Mi Escuelita, founded in 2006, offers students on-site mental health services and a safe space where children can learn and heal. It\u2019s considered a leader among therapeutic preschools, and it offers insight to the emerging concept of a trauma-informed learning environment for students and their families.<\/p>\n

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Run by the nonprofit SBCS, formerly known as South Bay Community Services, the school has long provided services to families in need, including those experiencing domestic violence. Mi Escuelita grew out of those programs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s to really focus on the little guys,\u201d said Stacey Musso, director of the behavioral health and wellness department at SBCS.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition to making sure students are ready for kindergarten, Mi Escuelita offers one-on-one and group therapy. It has on-site therapists accessible to students during school hours. Angelina Puffelis, clinical supervisor at Mi Escuelita, says the access provides her team an opportunity to work with students and address issues as they bubble up.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\"An
\nFirst: Teacher Viviana Vasquez comforts a student during a safari hunt. Last: Behavioral Specialist Sebastian Lavenant works with a student during class at Mi Escuelita in San Diego on April 23, 2025. The preschool has eight teachers, two on-site therapists and a behavioral therapist on staff. While therapists mainly focus on the mental health of a student, behavioral therapists center on examining the actions and conduct of a student to see what may be triggering them or getting in the way of them interacting with others.<\/p>\n

\"YoungStudents wash their hands after a painting activity at Mi Escuelita in San Diego on April 23, 2025. Many of the students at the preschool are students of color and come from low-income families. Mi Escuelita offers mental health services to both students and their families since those relationships play a role in a child\u2019s development.<\/p>\n

According to a recent report<\/a>, 28 parents of students enrolled at Mi Escuelita last year reported having been involved in multiple domestic violence relationships. Seventeen of them had to move or were homeless as a result of domestic violence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Evidence shows the program works.<\/p>\n

A recent UC San Diego report<\/a> found 82% of students at Mi Escuelita scored above average on the Kindergarten Readiness Test, which evaluates a student\u2019s preparation for kindergarten. An\u00a0 above-average score indicates a student should need \u201cvery little special attention and with no major learning difficulties.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students attend Mi Escuelita at no cost, and classes are offered year-round. In return, families agree to work with school officials to address mental health issues head on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ask that our families understand our environment. It is so unique,\u201d said Mi Escuelita preschool director Lisa Klemp. \u201cWe really believe in that connection. We want to support not just our children, but our family as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AStudents take part in a safari hunt at Mi Escuelita on April 23, 2025. All children who attend Mi Escuelita have experienced family-related trauma in their short lives.<\/p>\n

Lessons from nap time<\/p>\n

As a handful of students savored the last bites of their sandwiches, carrots and apple sauce during a recent lunch, others prepared for their next activity. They threw away trash, grabbed blankets and lay on mats set throughout the classroom. Some students grabbed stuffed animals or picked out books to keep them comfortable. Teachers dimmed the lights and played a Youtube video of kittens purring as lullabies played softly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

While most students quickly fell asleep, some struggled to relax. One girl refused to sleep and cried when told she couldn\u2019t run around the classroom. Teachers tried to help by offering to read her books or by blowing small bubbles, but she wasn\u2019t having it. Another girl lay very still with her eyes wide open looking straight at the ceiling. She barely blinked and stayed this way for most of nap time before finally dozing off.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do see that resting their bodies, the calming, can be challenging for some of our kids,\u201d Klemp said. \u201cI believe that they\u2019ve been in spaces or environments that may have caused them to be hyper alert. And so knowing that you\u2019re in a safe space, that you can calm and relax your body is really crucial for some of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ATeacher Ismairy Caldera reads to a student to help them fall asleep during nap time at Mi Escuelita in San Diego on May 5, 2025. Nap time can be particularly challenging for children who have experienced trauma, as many of them remain on high alert and struggle to rest.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\"A
\nFirst: A student looks off into the distance during nap time. Last: A student holds a stuffed animal during nap time at Mi Escuelita on May 5, 2025.<\/p>\n

\"YouTube<\/p>\n

According to the National Survey of Children\u2019s Health, 63% of U.S. adults<\/a> reported experiencing at least one so-called adverse childhood experience<\/a> before age 18, such as abuse, witnessing violence or family separation. Trauma can show up in different ways. Some may become explosive in their behavior while others may be timid or seclude themselves. Nap time, in particular, can be a challenge for younger children.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn general, as a kid, at night can be a scary place. And then if you\u2019re hearing screaming, if you\u2019re hearing someone slamming a door, if you\u2019re hearing someone, you know, police showing up in your home, it just really emphasizes that scary time,\u201d Klemp said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Trauma in children can go untreated<\/a> or be dismissed as normal behavior but its impacts can have a lasting effect that can lead to substance abuse, eating disorders, diabetes and heart disease, according to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Early trauma can also increase the potential of being involved in the juvenile justice system and low academic performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AnClinical Supervisor Angelina Puffelis and a student play during a one-on-one therapy session at Mi Escuelita in San Diego on May 5, 2025. Since it can be difficult for children to express their emotions, Puffelis uses play therapy as a way to help her understand what a child might be experiencing. \u201cIt\u2019s like being in a tour,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd for me, the child will be the tour guide. I will listen, I will follow, but if I have a question, I will probe and get information.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\"A
\nFirst: Puppets hang along a wall at Mi Escuelita on May 5, 2025. Last: Puppet Wally sits with students during the school\u2019s graduation ceremony on June 11, 2025. Puppets are used to act out scenarios that help students learn about different emotions and how they can interact with others.<\/p>\n

At Mi Escuelita, every student participates in individual therapy sessions with clinicians. Therapy with a child can look different than a session with an adult. Rather than sitting and talking about feelings, therapists at Mi Escuelita play with the students and patiently look for clues or signs of deeper emotions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cUsually there is a theme and some of the things that are common are protection, safety, empowerment or the superhero; bad and evil,\u201d\u00a0 said Puffelis. \u201cSo as a therapist, I look for that. This is a continuum theme and if there\u2019s changes in the home environment, that theme plays out in play therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

In between those one-on-one sessions, therapists lead small group sessions where they teach aspects of a program called Incredible Years<\/a> that helps students learn about feelings and how they can regulate them. These sessions can involve activities such as reading books, discussing different types of feelings or using puppets to act out a scenario that may help unlock emotions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wally, a puppet with curly black hair, is part of the program. He has a special place in the school\u2019s annual graduation ceremonies. Every year, a member of the school staff holds the puppet so it can \u201cwalk\u201d with the kids.<\/p>\n

\"AnTherapist Spencer Mattox reads a book to students during a small group therapy session at Mi Escuelita in San Diego on May 20, 2025.<\/p>\n

\"AThe book centers around a young girl who gets upset and how she is able to find ways to manage her anger.<\/p>\n

Generations of domestic violence<\/p>\n

Gibot has experienced domestic violence throughout her life. Growing up, she saw her parents and other family members deal with the same issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At Mi Escuelita, Gibot benefitted from some of the mental health services offered to families of students. She received therapy and attended parent engagement meetings where she learned tips on how to support James, such as using physical touch to regulate his body and using more words of affirmation to build his self-esteem.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Within six months, Gibot began to notice improvements in his behavior. She said she wishes more schools were set up like Mi Escuelita to spare families red tape and having to navigate through a variety of specialists at different locations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIdeally, the norm should be like Mi Escuelita, especially since there\u2019s so many kids who could benefit from it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"ATeacher Viviana Vasquez works with students during class at Mi Escuelita in San Diego on April 23, 2025. All staff at Mi Escuelita are required to complete a 40-hour training offered by SBCS to help equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to support survivors of domestic violence, such as learning how it can affect children.<\/p>\n

What happens after Mi Escuelita?<\/p>\n

When students leave Mi Escuelita, they enter school districts that may offer some mental health services or intervention, but usually not as hands-on as they are used to. If a teacher or staff member believes a student may be dealing with mental health related issues, they can recommend that the student see a school counselor or social worker. From there, school officials can refer the family of the student to outside health providers offered by community organizations or local county health services.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Hilaria Bauer, chief of early childhood services at the Bay Area nonprofit early learning organization Kidango<\/a>, said other educators are beginning to embrace concepts from Mi Escuelita\u2019s approach, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we came back to classrooms and to more regular types of activities, you begin to see how that isolation, that trauma affected our families and the children,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

But building the unique learning environment SBCS created at Mi Escuelita may be challenging to replicate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a wonderful idea and it\u2019s such a powerful idea. I\u2019m assuming it\u2019s also a very expensive idea,\u201d said Bauer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

\"A
\nStudents participate in a graduation ceremony at Mi Escuelita in San Diego on June 11, 2025. <\/p>\n

The cost of operating Mi Escuelita is $1.3 million each year<\/a>; it\u2019s funded by a mix of local, state and federal sources, as well as private donors, according to SBCS.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On top of funding, Bauer says finding the right staffing is another hurdle to take into consideration. For instance, it can be difficult to find teachers who have the required license to provide therapy in addition to having classroom experience.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, Bauer says policymakers can benefit in the long run from implementing certain concepts offered at Mi Escuelita. Research seems to back her assessment. Another UC San Diego study<\/a>, which tracked the performance of students over several years, showed those who attended Mi Escuelita tended to score at the same level or sometimes higher in math, reading and writing compared to other students in the Chula Vista Elementary School District.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can spend less later on intervention programs and alternative facilities,\u201d Bauer said. \u201cThere will be less truancy, less big behaviors or expulsions or alternative programs, and all of those \u2018fix\u2019 initiatives if we really focus on the time in the life of a child that really makes a change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"YoungStudents perform a song during a graduation ceremony at Mi Escuelita in San Diego on June 11, 2025. <\/p>\n

James started kindergarten in August and celebrated his birthday in September. He\u2019s doing well, Gibot said.<\/p>\n

As he prepared for kindergarten, Gibot said she worried about what might happen. Klemp assured her that she and James would continue to receive support from SBCS. That made her feel more confident.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s learned a lot and gained skills that I wish I was able to teach him. But you know, we both learned,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

James was one of the students who graduated from Mi Escuelita in May. Gibot, sitting with the rest of the attendees at the ceremony, watched as her son performed songs with his fellow classmates, cheered for his friends and received a small diploma.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just really emotional for me. I\u2019m like \u2018Wow. He\u2019s not scared. He\u2019s not feeling all these different emotions,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cHe just did it all by himself. And just seeing that independence grow, it\u2019s just beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

CalMatters visual designer\u00a0Gabriel Hongsdusit created the illustrations for this story.<\/p>\n

This project story was produced jointly by CalMatters & CatchLight as part of our mental health initiative<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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