I can’t write this without first acknowledging the absolute privilege and gratitude I have in being part of this amazingly thoughtful, genuine, and hardworking team behind the project – because it is dopeness at its core.

The Solidarity Library (which we call “Sol Lib”) is an inter-agency project led by Seneca staff at the baseline level. It was purposefully created to uplift the work of BIPOC folx and underserved communities, and works towards three major objectives:

1. Create a shared space where staffs’ initiatives, community events, resources, and knowledge can live;
2. Highlight the incredible work, actions, and resilience from these communities; and
3. Provide holistic care and resources to the people we serve.

Through this project, our behind-the-scenes team has done its best embody what community means to us. Over the course of two years, we’ve come to understand how the essence of community appears in our team:

• When we take care of each other as people-first, the work will naturally follow: 
  As much of our primary work is driven by caseloads, mental health notes, administrative duties, deadlines, and/or program meetings, our Sol Lib team finds so much rejuvenation and gratitude in being seen first as humans with needs.
  
  We hold it down when someone is going through something personal, share in affirmations and accountability, and continue to make space for genuine connection to thrive. Here, the work is second. As a result, the work we do produce is rooted in honest care, coming from somewhere sustainable within.
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• Removing the standard structure of top-to-bottom leadership has allowed us to create shared values, knowledge, and accountability:
  When I and the stunning Sheralynn (fellow co-lead for Sol Lib) first started, we knew we needed this space to be grassroots-oriented. That meant our roles were merely to guide the project forward, but that our decisions, mission, and actions would be rooted in collaboration. This creates space for all our teams’ strengths to shine - from envisioning to planning to acting to healing. This also creates safety and trust in sharing feedback, accountability, and progress for us in all directions of this team.
  
  
• We grow through what we go through by shifting into a mindset of abundance:
  To keep it real, the last two years have been especially trying. Between this pandemic, social movements, weighty conversations of anti-racism and intersectionality, people being without basic needs and support… we’ve all needed community care.
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  Sol Lib’s spirit operates from a place of abundance. When so much feels lacking, we hold onto knowing we are working towards something better, something more wholesome. We do this by purposely protecting our joy, advocating our worth, and staying connected to this mission.

We hope Seneca's staff continue to find space, community, and empowerment through this collaborative resource. If you'd like to learn more about how you can tap into Sol Lib, feel free to email me (Cecily Duran) directly to get connected!

​When COVID first emerged almost two years ago, no one imagined we’d still be living in a pandemic today.  Although we are back to in-person instruction, our students and families continue to face many challenges.  Our SOAPS program is constantly working to find creative and helpful ways to support our families.  One way we have supported our families is through making theme-centered bags to send home with the students.  For the winter break, we created bags filled with snacks, drinks, board games, and various arts & crafts activities. The families were appreciative of the bags and many students shared stories of bonding with their families through the activities that were provided.

​Another way SOAPS has supported our families is through providing a few basic necessities for students.  Prior to the winter break, students at Community Day School were given hygiene bags.  The bags were filled with deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, body wash, lotion, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and snacks.  Some of our students do not have stable home environments, and the hygiene bags were another way to make sure that they have some of their basic needs provided for during their time away from school.  Although these gestures may not solve all their struggles, they are our way of reminding families that they haven’t been forgotten and we are here to support them.  

​Through all the challenges we’ve faced this year, we were excited to celebrate the re-admission of 2 of our high school students at Community Day School (CDS) in December.  Both students were referred to CDS through the Disciplinary Hearing Process when they were expelled from their home school campus. During their time at CDS, these students have worked hard to get caught up on school credits, modify their behaviors, and achieve their ultimate goal of being re-admitted.  This just shows how resilient our students are when faced with adversity.

​No matter what role you play on the School Partnership Programs’ world, there’s a lot to juggle; tasks to be tackled; feedback to be given; and relationships to be curated and developed. Something that takes special practice and skill is managing our bosses or someone who works above our particular role. I am sure many staff on site can relate, especially when working with Teachers or Principals. We, in the Schools Operations team, experience this as well when supporting Directors, Department Heads, Coaches and more!

A favorite topic from a past PLC session our group held was centered around “Managing Up.” We held constructive conversations focused on how supporting staff in various positions have worked out and how we have tackled challenging dynamics. In the spirit of sharing, we pass on this helpful video that provides some helpful tips managing UP!
 
New Tips for Managing Up – Project Management Training

Let us know what you think about the video above, we hope you find it just as helpful as we did!

​The fall school year is coming to an end, and what a fall it has been. I would like to highlight our school partnership with Learning Without Limits located in Oakland, CA. Learning Without Limits is a K-5 school in the Fruitvale neighborhood that strongly believes in the balance between constructivist learning and knowledge-based learning. The mission of Learning Without Limits is to provide rigorous, culturally relevant, and empowering education grounded in caring, leadership, achievement, and perseverance. The school is founded on the belief that caring relationships allow students to lower their affective filter, facilitating learning.

As a partnership, our goal is to build community. The greatest example from this year took place after a tragic event. Sadly, a long-time staff member at Learning Without Limits lost their life in a tragic car accident. That individual’s family was devastated, staff were devasted, students were devasted, and the healing process is only just beginning. On the day students returned to school, our UE School Partnership Community went into full action mode, and the goal was to meet students and staff where they were to process such a horrific incident.
 
How was that accomplished?
 
By showing up. We reached out to our Light the Change community and gathered clinicians, supervisors, executive directors, and our CPO to support a campus in need. The amount of support we provided on campus reflects how our program partnership is exemplifying unconditional care. This school year we have shown up for our students, our families, and our staff on campus, in the greatest way possible, with love and understanding.
 
This event speaks to a common quote, “You can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you react."