​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. 

Name: Vanessa Soria
Position: Clinical Intern
What led you to your current position? Before starting this position, I worked with youth navigating the juvenile justice system, and my experiences within this program definitely intensified my curiosity for school-based work. In my time working with the young people and their families, I kept hearing about and witnessing the challenges that many of my youth, especially youth of color, experienced in their school environments. For these reasons, I wanted to complete my clinical internship in a school-based setting. I want to work with others to build an environment that truly prioritizes student well-being, co-creates hope, and encourages the exceptional creative potential that our students have.
What inspires you to do this work? So many things! We have the privilege of being invited in by our students and their families to hear their stories, strengths, and struggles. Their stories full of strength, resilience, and hope constantly inspire me to continue to do this work. I am grateful I get to learn of and from our students and families while building these positive relationships. Additionally, I continue to be inspired by all those around me that continue to show up for our youth and bring their whole self to this transformative, but challenging work.
What is an important lesson you’ve learned in this role? A lesson that I have learned throughout the years, but was highlighted in this role, is the importance of advocacy and building community. The covid-19 pandemic gave a spotlight to the systemic barriers that harm families of color and this really highlighted the importance of advocating for and alongside these families. Additionally, the pandemic brought a lot of isolation for all of us. This highlighted the power of building positive relationships and community, as well as the importance of engaging in radical listening that builds a non judgmental and welcoming space.
Share your life motto: My life motto is "Sin Miedo" or without fear. Especially as a woman of color, I try not to let fear stop me from ensuring my voice is heard. I hope to empower the young people of color I work with to do the same.

The Diverse Learners Team (DLT) led by Dr. Tamarah Tilos, Seneca alum and fan favorite, coordinated the All-School Meeting for students, families, and staff on March 19 to highlight learning differences and re-introduce the skilled members of the DLT. This team has been working diligently on ways to support a culture of access and inclusion within the context of a hybrid model. The presentation included a guessing game to help familiarize the school community with staff members and their workspaces on campus. 

We are excited to continue working with NSSF next year and look forward to supporting their oldest students transition to 6th grade - middle school!

March 16th marked the 1-year anniversary of our Education for Change schools’ transition into distance learning.  Back then, the thought of returning to in-person school after Spring Break of 2020 was considered possible... However, it is now Spring Break 2021, where we find ourselves on the cusp of returning to schools partially re-opening.

​The opportunity to reconnect with students, their families and our school colleagues in-person elicits excitement after a year of distance learning.  Finding ways to provide play and art therapies virtually; pushing into student’s Zoom classes to provide behavior interventions; striving to connect with students who go video off/mute and communicate through the Chat; parents working while having their children at home, experiencing Zoom fatigue; and redefining boundaries while working from home, are some of the many ways we’ve adapted to working completely different from what we’ve known.  Adapting to this setting has been an ongoing process and required much effort, creativity, flexibility, and persistence to support our students while also witnessing the impact of the pandemic on our communities.

Within these adaptations we have also found silver linings such as: time saved not commuting; opportunities to take a walk during the workday; more autonomy over daily schedule; the ability to jump on a Zoom call when setting up an in-person meeting would be complicated and being able to work outside of the Bay Area if needed.  After a year, we have gotten used to some of these silver linings while also finding ways to connect “good enough” with our students, their families, and colleagues.  The excitement of returning to in-person may be counterbalanced by the loss of what we have gotten used to, along with additional questions regarding safety and uncertainty of what re-opening will look like.

​With so many details getting figured out (which students return, what will the schedules look like, what space will I have, will students have the support they need, is it safe enough, etc.?), this can be overwhelming to hold all at once.  As I hear these questions, three thoughts come to mind: 

• Adapting to change, even a change we want, takes energy.
• Tolerating uncertainty is hard and takes energy. 
• Staying grounded in our locus of control is helpful, but at times. is easier said than done. 

Holding this for yourself while additionally holding uncertainties of students and families is a lot.  Through it all, we hold the well-being of students and their families at the forefront.  As you do, I encourage you to give yourself some grace and kindness as we all go through this transition together.

Community Day School (CDS), an alternative program in Oakland Unified School District is the proud home of the Wolverines and is dedicated to using a therapeutic and restorative justice-centered approach to give students a second opportunity to succeed in school. The campus empowers middle and high school students to build upon their strengths by supporting them academically, socially, and emotionally, through individual and small instruction, counseling, and career exploration.

As our students face a broad array of challenges in life, we work to help them understand how change is inevitable and how resiliency is a must. Regardless of the change being negative or positive, the Unconditional Education motto is vibrant at Community Day School. District and Seneca staff are working together to re-open campus and provide students with academic/technical support, meals, and a reliable space for them to find success. OUSD has provided each classroom with two air purifiers and personal protective equipment, and requires all members to complete a daily healthy screening before entering the learning hub. Here are just a few images of how our gorgeous campus is gradually transitioning back after a year of disarray.  

Our new partners in San Mateo, KIPP Valiant Community Prep, are launching back into in-person services. As a K-8 school of over 600 students, Valiant wisely chose to bring back a small pilot classroom of middle school students before opening more broadly. 

​Leveraging their existing MTSS structures, the team utilized their COST and Culture and Climate teams to plan universal and small group interventions for the students returning to campus. When this process was a smashing success, the Valiant team knew they were ready to scale up. Now with most of the elementary school students returning after spring break, the COST and Culture and Climate teams have sprung into action to plan team building activities, targeted SEL lessons, procedures for teaching classroom routines, and high leverage academic instruction blocks. With our fabulous UE Coach, Keri Stewart, at the helm, we know these plans are going to be airtight with the ability to flex and adapt to emerging needs. Gooooooooo, Valiant!