Since joining the All-In Program before the 2017-18 school year, I’ve continually been impressed by the talent and commitment of our Seneca staff as they work to promote positive change in school communities and equity of opportunity for students.  Through providing individualized support to students, skillful engagement with families, collaboration and professional development for teachers, and thought-partnership with school leaders, our staff are positively impacting school communities at many levels.  

In our mission to be change agents in schools, we always hold the lens of sustainability.  We want to help schools implement structures and systems they can maintain beyond the scope and duration of the Seneca partnership.  We want to promote mindsets among school teams that lead to ongoing staff reflection, development, and innovation in best serving their students and families.  ​

Name: Devina Brooks
Your Position?  Behavior Intervention Specialist
 
What led you to your current position? As a Milieu Supervisor at JBA, I felt like I needed a change. When I was informed of a new position (Behavior Intervention Specialist) in All-In, I believed it was a wonderful opportunity to share my knowledge. As a BIS for four years, I needed another change. However, I am still a BIS but this year, my role looks very different because I am working with three schools throughout the school year to assist with the implementation of tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 interventions.
 
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Fun Fact/Quote?

• We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. - Maya Angelou
• Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have. - Margaret Mead
• In the same way that our school system feels strongly about requiring vaccinations and annual physicals, I feel strongly that it is essential to add a mental health component to that annual physical. - Madchen Amick

 
What does your average day look like? An average day as a Behavior Intervention Specialist consist of me observing students and staff, elbowing coaching staff, facilitating school wide trainings, interviewing staff and parents, attending IEP’s, 504 and/or treatment team meetings. In addition, I am assigned to three schools for the remainder of the school year in which I am supporting each with the implementation of tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions and co facilitating group supervision for Mental Health Counselors.
 
Why do you do this work? I do this work because the disconnect, lack of patience, implicit bias, and dislike for some of the troubled student(s) bother me. Having three daughters of my own, I am aware of how maladaptive behavior in school settings impedes the learning of others. In addition, I enjoy having discussions with school staff about how student behaviors provoke flight, fight, and freeze responses within them and how that plays a role in their choice of behavior intervention strategies. I also enjoy helping staff operate from a place of curiosity rather than frustration when interacting with students. 
 
What hope do you have for the future of our program? I would really like to see All-In work in more Oakland Public Schools and more teaching opportunities for new teachers we partner with.

Hi All!
 
The winter months can be filled with cold, dreary days, impatient students, and some pesky germs. Aside from the cooped up, impatient children, and germs that you just can't seem to get out of your rooms, you notice your students are having that mid-year slump and are bored with your lessons already and so are you. So, what can you do about it, A LOT! Before and after winter break, many educators feel the wrath of the mid-year burnout. There is no denying that being in education is a stressful job, so being able to deal with your stress is extremely important in order to continue the school year. Educators cannot feed into the doom and gloom but must find a way to forge ahead, looking at the big picture instead of the little things that can get us down. Here are some quick and basic ways to combat educator burnout:

• Take a daily brain break
• Mindful meditation exercises
• Celebrate the 100th day of school
• Make learning fun

As educators, each day is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference. We can never take for granted the truly sacred torch that has been passed to us, and we should never do anything personally to douse that flame of learning in our schools. We must be passionate about educating and excited about bringing knowledge to our students, whether it’s a dark, cold winter’s day or a bright sunny one in spring. As you do things to alleviate your feelings of despair, try to do everything possible not to let your it become apparent. Think back to why you first entered the fabulous world of education. You most probably did it with extremely noble intentions. Get back in touch with that vibrancy that filled your heart with joy on the first day of your educational career, when you walked onto your school campus and felt like you could take on the world. Remember that in essence the world is in the hands of educators, for we touch the lives of our students not for just a moment but for the rest of their lives. Every word we say counts; every gesture is observed and measured; every outburst is never forgotten, as is every kindness. Remember, we here at Seneca and in Unconditional Education are doing beautiful and impactful work. To help you remember that, please look at this wonderful video that our very own Keri Stewart, UE Coach at Grant Elementary School in Richmond, compiled regarding the impact of Seneca’s work at Grant Seneca Impact at Grant
 
And…if you’re looking for more motivation, check out this great article on perseverance and grit!!! Educators Need Grit Too!
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Name: Anna Scaiano
​Your Position? I’m the Unconditional Education Coach at Verde Elementary in North Richmond

What led you to your current position? I am a social worker, and I’m really drawn towards more macro level work and issues. I’ve always loved working in education, and I was struggling to find a position that would allow me to focus on macro level issues while staying face to face with clients. I feel like, in this field, you’re either doing counseling or direct behavioral support or you’re doing policy and planning and don’t get to see clients all that often. A role that combines both is rare. When I saw the UE Coach job posting, I jumped at it! It was the perfect opportunity to focus on macro level issues – like school culture and climate – while still getting to see kids every day and be grounded in the community I’m serving.

What does your average day look like? Every day is different! I run social skills groups, I work with teachers to discuss their classroom culture and climate and implement trauma informed practices, I develop PD for my school staff, I work with admin to implement PBIS for the whole school, I run restorative justice circles to solve problems, and I support kids 1:1 when there’s a crisis or they need additional support.
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Why do you do this work? I do this work because I feel like education is the best intervention strategy we have to break cycles of poverty and oppression, and I can see how really thoughtfully designed programs can impact a child’s life for the better. I love working in a field that’s goal is to help others succeed, and I’m thankful to work in an organization that does this in a way that’s grounded in community and mindful of looking at these issues through an equity lens.

What hope do you have for the future of our program? I hope we can keep building on the amazing work we’re doing in public schools, partnering with districts and thinking about new and innovative ways to serve students in the ways that they deserve! 

If you didn’t already know by now, I am passionate about inclusion for all students. My passion for inclusion began when I accepted a position working for an agency called Maryland Coalition for Including Education or MCIE. It was in my work with MCIE that I first was introduced to Dr. Paula Kluth and learned of her work in inclusive practices. I had the privilege of attending a training specifically focused on her book, From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks: 100 Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K-12 Inclusive Classrooms, that changed my perspective and mindset on inclusion. I recently came across a Q & A session with Dr. Kluth that I found useful and thought I’d pass it on. Here’s a little information about Paula Kluth from her website and a copy of the Q & A link below:

“Dr. Paula Kluth is a consultant, author, advocate & independent scholar who works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities and to create more responsive and engaging schooling experiences for all learners. Paula is a former special educator who has served as a classroom teacher and inclusion facilitator. Her professional interests include differentiating instruction and inclusive schooling. She is the author or co-author of ten books. They include: “You’re Going to Love This Kid”: Teaching Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms; A Land We Can Share: Teaching Literacy to Students with Autism; The Autism Checklist; Joyful Learning: Active and Collaborative Learning in the Inclusive Classroom; and From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks: 100 Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K-12 Inclusive Classrooms. Paula is also a director of a documentary film titled “We Thought You’d Never Ask”: Voices of People with Autism. Dr. Kluth has been awarded numerous honors in her field & community. Most recently she was a recipient of the 20 Under 40 University of Wisconsin Alumni Achievement Award for her work with students with autism. She was named the National Down Syndrome Congress Educator of the Year in 2007 and the Belle Center of Chicago’s Inclusion Advocate of the Year in 2006”

https://www.paulakluth.com/about-paula/
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http://blog.brookespublishing.com/you-learn-by-doing-an-inclusion-qa-with-paula-kluth/

The PSC-35 shows us how the family is viewing the child and is a way of tracking their perspective over time. The fact that caregivers complete this evidence-based form on a regular cycle may also reinforce for them how important their voice is in our work. Despite the fact that I’m often asking our clinicians to take more on, when faced with a change in requirements it does me wonders to take a moment to pause and simply take a deep breath. Breathing a bit more thoughtfully stops me from jumping down the assumption rabbit hole of negativity. I quickly find myself motivated and inspired to understand and actually dive into it a bit deeper and find the value in how it highlights and adds to the amazing work our clinicians already do.  
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If you’d like to know more, please visit: https://www.massgeneral.org/psychiatry/services/psc_home.aspx
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Name: Claudia Burgos
Position: I am currently a Lead Health Information Specialist.
 
What led you to your current position? After graduating Cal State East Bay as a psychology major, I soon discovered that direct service was not an area I enjoyed. During my work experience, I worked in 2 different construction companies assisting with operations and admin. Even though, I enjoyed learning about business and accounting, I knew that I wanted to work for an organization that had a more meaningful purpose and held similar values as mine. I feel that being a Health Information Specialist within Seneca, has combined the two worlds that I was searching for. Overall, I’m grateful that I am still able to contribute to the community we serve, as I work behind the scenes.
 
Fun Fact/Quote? Not till we are completely lost or turned around…do we begin to find ourselves.. -Henry David Thoreau  
 
What does your average day look like? My average day begins with getting a cup of coffee. I then take out my big stacks of paperwork and reorganize them into multiple different piles, such as add to chart tracking, need to enter, scanning, follow ups, etc. Every day, I always tell myself that I will complete all my stacks, but I know the truth. I then open up my emails and become an investigator, ensuring that I am able to answer all my emails as correctly as possible. Since, I currently hold 2 different counties, I have to make sure I’m relaying the correct information for their county specifically. The QA managers and specialists from other programs definitely help in my investigation as we work together to come up with the correct response. On certain days, like today, I have to travel to Contra Costa County to drop off documents to be reviewed. The few days of the week I travel, it is nice to get out of the office for a little bit. When I come back, I will finish sending out chart tracking, do some billing and begin on my stacks of paperwork, as I answer emails along the way.
 
Why do you do this work? I do this work because these kids and families have been through so many obstacles and deserve to have a helping hand. It takes a village. I’m glad I can take my skills and experiences and help All In continue to thrive and expand.
 
What hope do you have for the future of our program? I hope that as All In continues to grow and expand, everyone one the team continues to feel supported and heard. The work our team is doing under the Unconditional Education model is amazing and I would like to see it continue for many years to come; I can only imagine how many lives we can make a difference in.

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When I think about why and how I do my work, the value I connect with most is curiosity. But there’s also a value I connect with that we don’t normally name – laughter.
 
Last year I was working with a student who repeatedly had conflicts with another student at their table. He would sometimes laugh at her, call her name and make a face. I noticed that the other student started telling him to stop – even at times when he hadn’t done anything. I asked the student. Why were you laughing? And he said "She always laughs with [other student] but gets mad when I laugh." That was the first time I realized – he was doing this because he wanted to get along with her – yet his action was having the opposite effect.
 
I helped the first student explain to the second that he wanted to laugh with her and have fun with her like the rest of the table did. I tried to explain the difference between laughing at someone and laughing with someone in a more positive and pro-social manner. But there are many social nuances of laughter than you probably wouldn’t think of unless you tried to explain them to first graders who are still learning how to engage with peers. You shouldn't laugh when someone falls down, but sometimes you can like if they're laughing. You shouldn't laugh at someone else, but sometimes people do something on purpose so you can laugh. You can tell a good time to laugh if a lot of other people are laughing, but not always, because sometimes people are doing it in a mean way.
 
Then I decided to show them one positive way to laugh with others. I didn’t have much so I just decided to do the first time that popped into my mind which was diving in to some weird dance moves. They looked at me, looked down at their feet, thought “this teacher is weird, I want to go to lunch” until they made eye contact with each other and started giggling. One of them started to dance, then the other once, then we were all laughing. We started laughing even more when the general education teacher walked back into the room.

Name: Theo Grant-Funck

Your Position? I am a  Bilingual Student Support Assistant at Cox Academy.

What led you to your current position?
After graduating from college, I was looking for a job that would allow me to work directly in either education or mental health care. This job was perfect because it allowed me to contribute to both at once. I also just love working with kids, especially kids who don’t usually receive the support they need to be happy and successful.

Fun Fact/Quote?
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody”—Jane Jacobs

What does your average day look like?
I spend most of my day with a first grader in his classroom (continually tying shoes, playing tag at recess, and reminding kids how to spell “school”). I support my first grader with sensory modifications, breaks, social stories, and a sticker chart among other interventions.  I also work with a Kindergartener and a fourth grader for about an hour each.

Why do you do this work?
I really believe that All-In’s model can make a lasting difference for kids who are too often left behind. I also find it very gratifying to work in a job that allows me to see concrete and meaningful results.

What hope do you have for the future of our program?
I’d love to see our program expand its presence in traditional public schools to reach even more children and improve schools in other districts.