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Long-time Educator Supports Vaccine, Looks for Lessons Learned from Virus

Some links on this page may no longer be available now that the VEBA Vaccinates program is closed.

Greg Winston taught in San Diego Unified School District for more than 30 years. In his retirement, he became a dedicated tutor, honoring himself, his family, and his students by getting vaccinated through the VEBA Vaccinates program.

“I feel it’s important for me to be immune against the virus. I am somewhat suspicious of the vaccination, the virus. I have mixed feelings about it. But I’m erring on the side of caution, since I don’t have enough knowledge to really dispute it.”

The VEBA Vaccinates program rolled out in late February following the County of San Diego and the San Diego County Office of Education guidelines, first serving all educators in the most at-risk neighborhoods.

The VEBA Resource Center (VRC) is dedicated to equalizing healthcare access. Its programs are free and open to all VEBA Members and their families. From healthy cooking classes to yoga and meditation, the VRC classes strive to meet the unique needs of individual members. This holistic approach is very important to Mr. Winston.

“I think there’s a positive where people will be able to go back to school. I think people will get back to work again. But I also think that we have to look at the lessons that are learned. And we have to look at the value of what we’re teaching. We have to look at the value of the food that we’re providing for the people. We have to look at the conditions under which people are living.”

The VEBA Vaccinates program, in partnership with UC San Diego Health and Sharp HealthCare, provided access for all TK-12 education employees working in San Diego County district, charter, and private schools to schedule their appointment and receive their vaccination. For Mr. Winston, that means finally being able to reunite with the kids he loves to teach.

“I look forward to interacting with the kids again. And I think there are lifelong lessons that I’ve learned from those kids. And there are certain things that I never realized 30 years ago, when I started teaching, that I’m well aware of now, and I see the fruits of my labor. So now I’m more motivated to go back and still give that.”

Mr. Winston emphasized that he is also in a unique position to make a connection and meet a need, especially for students of color.

“I think there are a lot of kids that look for role models, mentors, look for assistance. And unfortunately, in our school system, when it comes to black males, there’s not a lot. So sometimes there’s a void that’s not being filled there… I retired from the school system. But I didn’t retire from kids.”

  • For more information, visit www.VEBAvaccinates.com.
  • San Diego County education employees who haven’t yet signed up for an appointment can do so on the VEBA Portal.
  • Explore the VEBA Resource Center website to explore programs, recipes and classes available to VEBA Members.
  • Click here for more information on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 Vaccine.

Vallecitos CBO Says VEBA Vaccinates Process Easy, Well Organized

Some links on this page may no longer be available now that the VEBA Vaccinates program is closed.

When San Diego County Health and Human Services announced the opening of Phase 1B-Tier 1 – which includes educators – Linda Miller, CBO for the Vallecitos School District, jumped into action. She sent in all the names of the educators in their rural, K-8 school to the VEBA Vaccinates program. The very next day, people in her district began making appointments to receive the vaccine.

“That was really great news. There was a sense of relief that it was being made available to those of us in education, and it’s encouraging in terms of just being able to move forward to with the goal of bringing students back to school for in-person instruction.”

Ms. Miller set up her own appointment that same week and was very impressed with how smoothly her visit unfolded, thanks to the VEBA Vaccinates partnership with Sharp HealthCare and UC San Diego Health.

“They answered all of my questions, they were very informative. It was organized. I actually arrived a little early and there was no wait. [After receiving the shot] we were all directed to a waiting area for 15 minutes to make sure that there was no negative reaction. That was it.”

The Vallecitos School District is also very organized, welcoming back staff and students for a hybrid on-campus/at-home classroom experience.

“We have students on Monday-Wednesday and then another cohort on Tuesday-Thursday. We also have a population of students doing distance learning… As a small district, we are very excited to get our students back in school. And as a whole, we are all looking towards that as a positive goal… We’re hopeful that we can bring all the students back as soon as possible and certainly by next year.”

And even though most Vallecitos educators are vaccinated, Ms. Miller says the district continues to take all recommended precautions to protect staff and students, including cleaning and sanitizing, wearing masks, and distancing.

“We have a really great staff. Our teachers are wonderful and they’re genuinely interested in the success of the students. So getting students back to class is something that we are really looking forward to, something everyone is really striving for.”

How to Prepare for Your COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment

Some links on this page may no longer be available now that the VEBA Vaccinates program is closed.

Thank you for signing up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the VEBA Resource Center’s program, VEBA Vaccinates. (If you are an educator in San Diego County and haven’t had a chance to register yet, visit our VEBA Portal and watch this video for easy-to-follow, step-by-step directions). By agreeing to get the vaccine, you are taking an important step toward preventing further infection. You and your fellow educators, students, and families can breathe a little easier.

Now that you have registered to receive your COVID-19 vaccination through VEBA Vaccinates, you may be wondering how to prepare for your appointment. This article from UCHealth outlines what you need to know – from what to wear to how you may feel after receiving the vaccine.

In brief, health experts recommend that you:

  • Wear loose-fitting clothing
  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Wear your mask
  • Remember to breathe
  • Wait in the vaccine clinic for at least 15 minutes after your shot to monitor any adverse reaction

For details on additional important information, such as drinking alcohol and reasons not to get the vaccine, we encourage you to read the brief UCHealth article.

If you’re concerned about vaccine safety, here’s a link to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Again, thank you for taking this important step toward making the community safer, for all of us.

VEBA Resource Center Helps Educators Fight COVID-19 by Getting the Vaccine

Some links on this page may no longer be available now that the VEBA Vaccinates program is closed.

In less than three weeks, the VEBA Vaccinates program provided thousands of vaccinations for San Diego County educators. California Schools VEBA rolled out its program the moment San Diego County announced on February 27 the opening of Phase 1B-Tier 1, which included education workers. VEBA’s partnership with Sharp HealthCare and UC San Diego Health provides the protection and peace of mind that educators need.

“Today, I got my shot for my kids at my school, my family, and most of all for myself, just to know that I will not be infected or infecting others. So it’s a big thing.”

Natasha Benally is an on-site teacher at Cabrillo Elementary in Point Loma. Since November, she’s been teaching a small group of students in the classroom – and many more online. It’s been tough managing her classroom as well as her three school-aged kids without the protection of a vaccine.

“I was afraid that I was going to get COVID or spread COVID if I got it. So it’s been very, very tough. But today, finally coming in, getting vaccinated, I feel a little better, more at ease. So, I am just so relieved.”

The VEBA Vaccinates program provided Ms. Benally with the latest information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. And Ms. Benally’s students trusted her to get the vaccine.

“You know, my kids asked me every day at school, ‘Are you going to get vaccinated? Have you gotten vaccinated?’ They actually asked me that question. And I’m like, ‘No, I haven’t.’ And today when I told them I was (getting vaccinated), they were all excited. They’re like, “Are all of our other teachers going to get vaccinated?’ I’m like, ‘They should.’”

Ms. Benally encourages her fellow educators to follow her lead and sign up for a vaccination through the VEBA Portal. It’s easy to do and VEBA provides a step-by-step instructional video to guide members through the registration process.

“Thank you Sharp and VEBA for arranging everything here, getting the COVID shot and getting teachers back into the classroom and the kids happy once again. Seeing the kids that we do have inside, they were so ecstatic, so excited to be back. To see other kids actually play on the play structure as a group was like the world to them. They loved it.”

  • If you are a TK-12 education employee in San Diego County, sign up for the vaccine by visiting the VEBA Portal.
  • Have questions about the VEBA Vaccinates program? Visit our “Frequently Asked Questions” page.
  • Meet VEBA Vice President Laura Josh and learn more about VEBA’s commitment to “whole-person” health and health care equity for the San Diego community.
  • For more testimonials and information about the VEBA Vaccinates program and COVID-19 vaccine, visit our YouTube channel.

School Officer Gets Vaccine; Aiming to Improve Mental Health and Wellness of Returning Students

Some links on this page may no longer be available now that the VEBA Vaccinates program is closed.

If anyone at Morse High School is feeling down and needs a friend – as many of us are and do during this COVID experience – Officer Dave Pallesen is the pal to call. 

Officer Pallesen is one of many sworn peace officers committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for San Diego students. Because of the virus, the officers have been limited to insuring campus security and a few home visits, hoping to ease any pain or mental health challenges that may come with virtual learning.  

“A lot of the kids, unfortunately, this has been hard on them just like everyone else; the isolation, not being around friends… We’re human beings by nature, we’re social creatures, we need that interaction. And we need that face-to-face human interaction.”

Soon, that face-to-face interaction will be possible, thanks to the VEBA Vaccinates program. 

“(Getting the vaccine) was all very smooth, very quick, very efficient. I have nothing but positive reviews and was very pleased with the whole process. As far as the information I received signing up, everything was really seamless.”

Officer Pallesen did his research and feels confident that the vaccine is safe and will help him protect his family. 

“I got the shot for my wife and kids, to protect my parents who are older, and for the kids at the schools and the people in my life that I care and love.”

That love is something Officer Pallesen is looking forward to sharing when he reunites with the students and educators he serves. 

“I’ll get to interact more with the kids and do what I love, which is having those interactions and building those relationships and helping those kids out, helping them be successful… and I’ll be smiling. I’ll probably be wearing a mask, but I’ll be smiling.”

Click here to learn more about our VEBA Vaccinates program.

For more ideas about protecting your mental health, read these VEBA Resource Center blogs: