Welcome back to the new school year! I couldn’t be more thrilled to launch into a year of in-person learning after our year of separation. While I know that this transition will be anything but predictable as we implement strict procedures for quarantine in order maintain the health and safety of our communities, it still comes with a great deal of relief that we have entered this year together. Our journey over the past eighteen months has been a tremendous one. I first and foremost want to give a big THANK YOU to all our staff, school partners and families. I want to acknowledge all that we have collectively endured and know that we all have experienced varying levels of loss that, for some of us, was quite profound. I have been humbled to witness the tremendous levels of ingenuity and perseverance across our community. So often, we have needed to call upon one of the most important interventions in our Seneca toolbox – the intentional cultivation of HOPE and persistence even in the face of immense challenge. I also know that in this past year, I have been fueled by the support of our extended Seneca Family and found purpose in our shared commitment to this work for the students and families we serve.

​If nothing else, this past year has challenged many of our assumptions about education and schools, and we have done some incredible learning together. I hope that as we enter this new year, we can take some of those learnings with us to create schools that truly serve all students. 

While we have returned to school, largely in person, the pandemic and its impacts are far from over. To provide healing spaces for students, school professionals need emotionally attuned communities and support in implementing practices that promote personal sustainability. School partner, Kyndal Easter offers these tips for administrators on How to Build Emotional Support for Teachers. In the year ahead, emphasis on wellbeing and connection will be paramount as we build on what we have learned to create schools where all students are truly welcome and can thrive.
 
Best wishes for a safe and happy launch to the school year and beyond!

My name's Emily Dunk and I'm a Behavior Intervention Specialist with the CrossCOST Program in Seattle, WA. But before I tell you more about our program, I'm going to start this blog post the same way many of our program meetings start off - by talking about good food and drinks 😊

​I like to think that CrossCOST is like the waiter in this story. Not knowing where to start in asking for what you need is frustrating. Whether it's about learning vocabulary that is highly specific to other fields or being so close to a problem that it's almost impossible to step back to see solutions, most of us just need a little extra support sometimes. Without the waiter’s patience and curiosity, I would be stuck thinking that there isn’t a wine out there for me, or maybe worse, continue to pay for and order wines that I don't enjoy!  We strive to provide that same patience and curiosity to the schools we partner with to consult around behavioral, clinical, and school systems needs to coordinate the right kind of support. 

​Acknowledging that the school could really benefit from centering self-care first, and also wanting to meet the initial request, we decided to do both!  Our MTSS of Self-Care training not only taught the model of tiered intervention, associated language of MTSS, and the basics of behavioral intervention, but did so through the lens of staff wellness.  We provided a framework for thinking about self-care as a tiered model of support, giving tools to each staff member for recognizing their behaviors through their escalation of burnout, and identifying interventions at each tier. Staff reported feeling better equipped to care for themselves, and in doing so, increased their understanding of how to support their students through escalation too.

Sometimes it feels like progress comes at the expense of our own wellness. Often, it feels like working to shift systems to be more equitable, inclusive, and healing centered competes with a school’s academic and results-based goals. We're here to flip that narrative. By centering Unconditional Education (UE), we not only help schools meet their goals, but balance offering support with challenging existing systems. This allows us to impact lasting change within our school communities.  We like to call this process, “sprinkling the UE fairy dust.” ​

So what is CrossCOST? In formal terms, we are a team of behavioral, clinical, and school-systems minded specialists who coordinate services to support schools with UE as our philosophy of change.  And in informal terms, we’re just your friendly neighborhood waiters. So, what’ll it be? A glass of red or white? 😉

One guiding text has been Resmaa Menakem’s My Grandmother’s Hands, which invites readers to take a voyage through the historical perpetuation of racialized trauma, diving into the history of white body supremacy and its impact. Menakem evokes his readers to acknowledge, understand and heal from the somatic effects of this racialized trauma. He recognizes the role of these somatic responses in one's ability to protect themselves from historical and ongoing harm and suggests that this kind of perpetual harm and the associated somatic impact require a different type of healing than may be traditionally applied in mental health work. The reading explores the somatic responses racialized trauma can have on both the “black-body”, “white-body” and also presents an array of healing practices. The book provides a balance of both theory and practice, asking the reader to slow down, reflect, and engage in specific healing practices at the end of each chapter.

Menakem realizes racialized trauma stems from white supremacy that is deeply embedded in American society. More importantly, Menakem teaches readers trauma is simply an irrational reaction that can be passed intergenerationally and subsequently causes a fight, flee or freeze response that can show up in (and often hinder) everyday interactions. In understanding the somatic effects of racialized trauma Menakem teaches readers how to navigate white supremacy to reach healing while acknowledging healing practices are often painful and challenging.

Sometimes people are accustomed to overriding their feelings and pain to get by day to day, until something/someone challenges them to think differently and seek change. It is only by doing the healing work that we can learn to relate and move differently together in the world.  I would recommend My Grandmother’s Hands to anyone who is looking to heal from what can appear to be a somatic-conditioned lifestyle. My experience with this book’s practices brought serenity and a new level of understanding to responses of intergenerational trauma. 

​Every spring, we reach out parents and caregivers of the students at our schools who are receiving direct services from our amazing All In staff and ask questions aimed at both lifting up our successes and providing feedback on our area of growth. 

This year, despite all the challenges and barriers faced by parents, students school staff and our teams due to the global pandemic and everyone adopting virtual spaces as the setting of learning and for our services, there is an overwhelming amount to celebrate in the responses. In April, we spoke to 246 parents. These are the percentages compared over the last 3 years of those who agreed with the following statements about the services they received:

It is always wonderful to see the year over year growth but it is truly remarkable to see this positivity in response to the work you all did this year, especially given the presenting challenges we all faced. Of course, we wouldn’t know any of this if it wasn’t for the support of All In staff members themselves making the calls and connecting with all these parents and caregivers on our behalf. This year we had an amazing crew of people who offered their time to support this project. Huge thanks to Juliana Batista, Justin Vizinau, Cedric Guillory, Ali Manrique, Ceci Duran, Jessica Ramos, Brenda Larios, and William Chiang for their time and support!! It is no small feat I assure you.
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The celebrations don’t stop with the numbers though. What parents and caregivers have to say in their own words about out services is also extremely important and informative. In the coming weeks, you will be seeing your school and cluster specific reports and be able to hear both the glowing things parents have to say about you all, and get a chance to review areas of growth offered directly from parents and caregivers. In the meantime, here are a few quotes to wrap up your week your week:

​Under the leadership of Unconditional Education Coach Yvonne Rogers, the Verde K-8 Stars were awarded The Neighborhood Public Art Grant by the Richmond Arts and Culture Commission for the third year in a row to fund a new art project! This year the theme is “To the Moon and Back.” The goal of the project would be to:

​The project will consist of art created by Fred Alvarado, Keena Romano, and Enrique Carpio, inspired by Verde’s students and the visions that they have for their future.  The mural will depict things that students share bring them joy. In addition, a mini documentary will be created to memorialize the creation of the mural. The documentary is meant to weave the journey of creating the mural and include interviews of Verde’s community members to share about what they do to bring joy into their lives, and how joy can encourage healing.  Stay tuned for updates on the finished product! 

Emiliano Zapata’s Street Academy is a unique place. They take an integrated approach to health, knowing that academic success is only achievable if students are well in the deepest sense. Their focus on social justice and emotional wellness are supported in part by our amazing Seneca therapist, Aurielle Zeitler. Aurielle has spent the past two years serving Street Academy’s students, families and staff. Since schools closed just over one year ago, Aurielle has been a lifeline for her students, meeting with them virtually one on one and in small groups to help them stay connected to their peers, teachers and academics. 

I​n high school, students are exploring their identities and their interests, ultimately choosing pathways that will influence the course of their futures. At Street Academy, students not only take required classes, but also participate in a variety of internships that help them gain experience they can use in their future careers. This has been particularly challenging during COVID, and Aurielle has supported her students through this difficult time by providing a space for students to think, reflect and explore who they are and where they are headed. 

​Street Academy is a small, close-knit community - and school staff serve as counselor-teacher-mentors (CTM’s) to a small group of students. Aurielle often partners with CTM’s to “wrap” support around students to help them be successful overall. COVID and distance learning has taken its toll on the Street Academy community, but our partnership continues to thrive. Just recently, Aurielle returned to campus and several students came to school JUST to see her! The reunion was deeply meaningful by all accounts. We look forward to evolving with Street Academy in the years ahead!

​Name: Yesabel (Yesi) Inga
Position: Bilingual Clinician
What led you to your current position? What brought me to this work is partly my idealistic side. What brought me to my current position is a deep sense of community, wanting to give back and being part of something bigger and meaningful. I started working at Seneca as a Mental Health Counselor knowing I wanted to become a therapist eventually. Once I got to see what Seneca had to offer, I created a career plan to become a well-rounded therapist. I started at JBA working with Middle schoolers, moved to CEC with MacSelpa at Tennyson High School, then Program Assistant & HIS with Mosaic Outpatient while I went to graduate school through the Seneca embedded program, did my internship with Mosaic Outpatient at Guy Emmanuel Elementary and I am now an All-In! therapist at Bridges Academy Elementary. It was the natural next step. It's been quite an exciting and adventurous ride! I have met truly amazing, knowledgeable people that inspire me to become a better therapist.
What inspires you to do this work? My inspiration to do this work comes from my family, my culture, and my ancestors. My parents and my sister are my biggest inspiration. My parents did so much for my sister and I; they were not just good enough parents, they gave us their all. They were not perfect, they made mistakes but in despite those mistakes, and life challenges they inspired us to persevere and to become helping hands to others. They intentionally broke intergenerational cycles of trauma, they worked multiple jobs and had side hustles to provide us with quality education and spent quality time with us, as much as possible. They migrated to the U.S. to keep us safe from terrorism, and to give us a chance at a better life. Against all odds, my sister and I went to Graduate school to be helpers/healers; my sister is an RN soon to be a Nurse Practitioner and I am an MFT. We were given so much love and support, we have a deep desire to give back to others, especially in our community, we want others to have a chance to have what we had and more. We want to be the people and professionals we needed when we were younger. The need for mental health is huge in the Latinx community and other communities of color, so I want to help break cycles of trauma, and poverty, I know I can do it through activism and quality mental health work. I want to help children become healthy and successful adults, be the best they can be, and I want to help parents heal so they can support their kids in that journey. I am a proud descendant of the Incas, and my inspiration also comes from my culture and my ancestors and all the ones that sacrificed and gave it all so I could be here.
What is a recent highlight you’ve experienced in the work? The most recent highlight in the work has to be my recent trip to Houston to support at an unaccompanied minor’s shelter. I am not sure I can put into words the enormity of the impact and the many lessons learned during that week. There is a deep sense of heartbreak mixed with hope and resilience, sprinkled with disappointment and rage, and topped with compassion and a sense of pride that I'm still working through. I met so many inspiring young girls that had gone through so much in their short lives; they are the definition of survivors, resiliency, and hope. I also learned that compassion for children doesn't come natural to everyone, and there's a lot of work left to do so children don't have to live through unimaginable trauma, and be treated so poorly by be ones that are supposed to help them. One of the highlights was being surrounded by other caring Senecans that were as committed to provide hope, support, and compassion to hundreds of kids in crisis.
Share your life motto: "Lo vivido y lo bailado no te lo quita nadie" (what you've lived and danced can't be taken away by anyone)

Name: Doug Woodson
Position: Therapist
What led you to your current position? The path taken to my current position has traveled through the NPS schools, community outreach programs and currently enjoying supporting students and staff in a school partnership. I have come to realize no matter what part of Seneca you work in they are all providing valuable support and guidance for people in need.
What inspires you to do this work? My drive to do this work comes from personal trials that have led me to see the value of someone who can listen, encourage, and hold the experience of our young black and brown youth in a way that relates to their daily life. 
What is a recent highlight you’ve experienced in the work? I have been working with this family for over a year and building trust has been a journey of peaks and valleys. However, over the past 3 weeks both client and caregiver have been highly engaged in the therapeutic process while seeking mindfulness practices to become more grounded. I was so surprised I giggled out loud and then happily processed, guided, and equipped the family to practice mindfulness. 
Share your life motto: You’re a good deal... invest more into yourself.

​As many of our schools and students have returned to in-person learning, I urge us to resist returning to the status quo. The past year of immense loss and global grief has given us space for deep healing, connections, and engaging in generative practices of self-care. 

While our bodies will remember the habits and memories of the physical life that existed before the pandemic, we can utilize alternative practices to slow down and deepen our somatic awareness. Centering and grounding practices like meditation, centering, yoga, stretching, deep breathing, quiet reflection, physical exercise, and rest are more important than they’ve ever been. As we move towards a world with more justice, liberation, joy, and freedom, our bodies – and the connection between our body and mind – are essential. 

I’ve compiled a list of community organizations, activists, and practitioners who are connecting practices of liberation to our bodies. Integrating these somatic and embodiment practices into our everyday allows us the opportunity to act more consistently in alignment with our values even when we are under pressure. Take a moment to explore the offerings below and see if you can create a new normal with your body. Make your practice your own. Do not rely on punishment if you miss a centering activity or are unable to easily incorporate this into your life. Small moments of rest and reflection whether that be when your day begins, before you step in a classroom, a post workday ritual, or 60 seconds of mindfulness on your break time can be the political or self-care practice we need to continue to engage in this work with dignity, care, and compassion as our full selves.

Media:
The Nap Ministry on Instagram
Generative Somatics on Instagram
Self-Care Is For Everyone online store
Prentis Hemphill LinkTree

• Podcast: Finding Our Way
• Video Practices: Street Somatics & Centering Practice

Adrienne Maree Brown LinkTree

• Podcast: Centering at the End of the World Practice

​Literature:
Resmaa Menakem LinkTree

• Book: My Grandmother’s Hands

The sharp staff at Washington Elementary (SJUSD) had a productive time participating in the 1st Annual Breakthru Bracket Challenge during the month of March.  For those unfamiliar with the March Madness NCAA bracket challenge, allow me to explain how we celebrated our in-house intervention expertise.

First, for our staff professional development in early March, we all discussed the pathways to “breakthrus” with students exhibiting challenging behaviors.  Most teachers, novice & seasoned, will experience that breakthrough moment with a challenging student. Usually, it is when an intervention is implemented by the teacher with such fidelity that a near immediate change is observed.  Voila....a breakthru.

Four fictitious students were identified as displaying some trauma induced behaviors conducive to the current distance learning format.  Teachers went into breakout rooms to contribute effective intervention strategies to address the behaviors outlined. Well, 4 breakout rooms each generated the top 4 strategies.  This totaled the Sweet 16 of Breakthrus.  

Teachers filled out their bracket, selecting winning interventions per matchup, just like anyone would complete a March Madness NCAA bracket.  Unlike the NCAA tournament, we as a staff voted using online polling to vote for the winners per intervention matchups. From the Sweet 16 to the Elite 8 to the Final 4 --- to crowning the champion breakthru intervention. Each winning intervention matchup earned a participant a series of points.  The teachers with the top 3 winning brackets, per points earned, received prizes.  Even more impactful, is that now we not only have a champion level intervention strategy that represents a possible pathway to a breakthru for any students, but the staff has a ‘sweet 16’ to choose from for the future.