“It’s a really critical program to help students with complex learning needs,” he said.
Construction is underway on the new structure, which will be about 20 per cent larger than the old one and will include meeting and office space.
The centre provides support for students of elementary- and middle-school age who need extra social and emotional help. That can include students struggling with social dynamics who might be having challenges settling in the classroom, or those dealing with anxiety or difficulty controlling emotions, Eberwein said.
“It could be a bunch of things so students that require that extra level of mental-health support,” he said. “We’re able to provide it at the CDC building.”
Simmons, the swim coach for about 60 Special Olympics athletes, used to check in with her team face-to-face in the lobby of Crystal Pool before swim practice. When sports programs ground to a halt in mid-March as B.C. declared a state of emergency, Simmons knew she needed to do something to keep the group connected. “It was something I felt they needed, to have a place to connect with each other socially and share any challenges they were having,” she said. Two weeks after the pandemic was declared, with the help of fellow Victoria-based Special Olympics coach Kyle Eriksen, Simmons launched a Zoom Room for Special Olympics athletes where she leads fitness classes, ending the session with a mental-health check.