Rio School District opened the Rio Real Healthy Start Center at Rio Real Elementary School at the beginning of the 09-10 school year. The Healthy Start Center will be a resource center for the community, providing services and activities to meet the needs and of children and families.

The center’s goals will be to:

• Ensure that children receive the physical, emotional and intellectual support that they need in school, at home and in the community so that they can learn well.
• Help students and parents get involved in the community and become leaders and decision-makers.
• Work with the district and community agencies to provide the most effective support of children and their families.

The center’s services and activities may include:

• Academic/Educational support for students
• Community service opportunities
• Parenting education, and family advocacy
• Nutrition education
• Clothing and food distribution
• Health education and screenings
• Mental health education
• Employment education and assistance

The District’s Healthy Start Center is funded through a Healthy Start Support Services grant from the California Department of Education – Healthy Start Support Services Program.

Healthy Start was established in 1991 through Senate Bill 620, the Healthy Start Support Services for Children Act, to improve student learning and support families. Healthy Start enhances efforts to close the achievement gap by helping children and their family members gain access to an array of learning supports.