School Wellness Specialist

​Dear Parents/Guardians:

We are pleased to inform you that St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School has a School Wellness Specialist as a part of our school community for the 2025-2026 school year.

Ofelia Tatu will be supporting our school and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and skill in the area of student wellness.  She is a doctor in Psychology, and has been working for over seventeen years in mental health, health psychology, counselling and child psychology. She worked in several schools in Manitoba and the Yukon to support children and youth individually or in groups. She speak French, English and Romanian. Her main areas of expertise are brain health and nervous system regulation, functional nutrition and concussions recovery. She has knowledge and experience in attachment and parenting, birth trauma and medical trauma, anxiety, ADHD, grief and loss, immigration related life transitions, stress and burnout, sleep issues, expansion, performance and mindset growth.

How This Impacts Your Child
The School Wellness Specialist is in the building to help students who are struggling socially or emotionally. Students can benefit from this support in a few different ways.

• Drop-In Services: When peer issues or school frustrations arise, students can visit the SWS for help.  These sessions are brief and supportive in nature (not therapeutic). 
• Groups: The SWS might offer groups to teach students skills in the area of relationships and emotional wellness.  Student and/or parent consent will be obtained for this type of group participation.
• Individual: Ongoing individualized support can be offered to students. This support is more in depth and a goal is set.  Common goals can include school attendance, anxiety management, emotional regulation, social skill development, sleep issues, communication or other identified challenges.  These sessions occur with student and parent consent. 

Important Things for You to Know

• Your child has access to the School Wellness Specialist for drop-in services and may seek out this support throughout the year.

• If school staff identify your child may benefit from receiving a service (group or 1:1) the school  will contact you and connect you with the SWS who will explain the service.  If you would like to accept the support, a consent form will need to be filled out and signed by you. 
• If you do not want your child to receive this support, you can decline the service.
• If your family needs or would like to access supports or be connected to community resources, you can reach out to Ofelia Tatu at the school to discuss further.

​If you have any questions regarding the role of the School Wellness Specialist or would like to connect your student with supports, please contact the Principal or Ofelia Tatu for further discussion. She can be reached at [email protected] or by calling the main school phone at (867) 667-5901.
Thank you for your continued support.