Student Wellness

Castilleja School Wellness

Fitness & Wellness


All students at Castilleja are guided to achieve health and physical literacy and become self-directed critical thinkers who make decisions to live a healthy, active lifestyle.

A developmentally appropriate curriculum allows different learners to safely challenge themselves to find balance, take risks, and explore roles, ideas, and activities. We model and instill a compassion for self and others and a commitment to mindfulness and life-long learning.

As competent, confident, and responsible leaders, students are empowered to effectively collaborate, problem-solve, and communicate when making choices and taking action for both personal and community health and fitness.

Girls laugh while playing with a parachute on the Circle

castilleja school middle school wellness

Meet the Faculty

Jen O'Sullivan

Titles: Faculty Member, Fitness

Lea Pence

Titles: Faculty Member, Wellness

Hailey Valdez

Titles: Faculty Member, Fitness and 8th Grade Dean

Joke van der Hulst

Titles: Faculty Member, Fitness and Department Lead, Head Coach, Varsity and VA Gold Softball

Counseling & Student Wellness


When wellness topics are seamlessly integrated into the entire curriculum, students become more self-reflective and empathetic and develop the skills to effectively relate with others.

The Counseling and Student Wellness department supports girls as they learn to identify, to voice, and to be proud of who they are.  In addition, our full-time professional counseling staff offers counseling services for students and supports faculty and staff in reinforcing positive social and emotional development.

Counseling Services
Our doors are open in the Counseling Department and we want to make connecting with us as easy as possible.

Counseling is available to all students throughout the school day, including some after school hours. These services include individual counseling, group counseling, crisis intervention, parent consultation, and parent education.

"The immediate outcome of social and emotional learning may be academic success or improved psychological well-being for the individual student. But, in the end, we all benefit through the creation of a kinder and more compassionate society" Vicki Zakrzewski, Education Director of Greater Good Science Center

Meet the Counselors

Wendy Cruz

Titles: School Counselor and Wellness Department Lead

Meredith Larsen

Titles: Middle School Counselor

Linda Mackenzie

Titles: Upper School Counselor

The Castilleja SEL Model

Social and Emotional Learning at Castilleja is comprehensive and multi-faceted. Our aim is to provide students with tremendous support as they develop life-long skills, resilience, and self-reliance.