Name: Katrina Dollaga
Position:  Student Support Assistant at Lazear Charter Academy
 
What led you to your current position?  When I graduated, I wasn’t quite ready to work in the social services field but I always knew I’d make my way back to it. I have always enjoyed working with children, especially in education. My first job ever was tutoring students in math and English. I also volunteered for an English-Tagalog bilingual program for newly immigrated K-8th grade students in San Francisco. It’s always been such a rewarding experience working with students and when I was ready get into the field, I knew I wanted to work in education. I was drawn to All-In! and the SSA position because of the holistic approach to supporting students.
 
Fun Fact/Quote:  My favorite number is 11!
 
What does your average day look like ? I usually start my day writing mental health notes in the MTSS room. A few minutes before school starts, I make my way to the yard to say hello to students. I then meet up with my client to get breakfast and do our daily check in. Throughout the day I’m in my client’s classes to support him in staying in his classes as well as access the material. I do this by utilizing behavioral modification strategies and incentives specific to the support that he needs. When needed, I also support other students. Each day is different and there are so many moving parts so I’m constantly communicating with the MTSS team.
 
Why do you do this work? I do this work for the small wins in each day. The student’s smiles and laughter make it all worth it! 
 
What hope do you have for the future of our program?  I hope that All-In! continues to grow and foster partnerships with schools!

This year at Lazear, clinician Chrissy Highet is continuing to lead a GSA group for middle schoolers, partnering with Ed Specialist Ms. Rivera and 7th grade Humanities teacher Mr. V. GSA usually stands for Gay-Straight Alliance, but it can also stand for Gender and Sexuality Alliance (which is a much more inclusive name). GSAs are school clubs in which students can talk and learn about sexual orientation, gender identity, and some of the issues that surround them. The students took lead on spreading the word about the group this year, and have taken charge on naming the topics they want to discuss in the group, including media influence, feminism, and gay rights in the community and internationally. Group members are also planning a PRIDE celebration for October around National Coming Out Day. This year we will also have guest presenters from Sigma Epsilon Omega, UC Berkeley's gay fraternity.
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If you're interested in learning more about GSA or starting a chapter at your school, check out this handbook with information and resources!
https://gsanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/GSA_Advisor_Handbook-web.pdf

Name:  Allison Dutton Stills
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Position: Classroom Therapist in the Intensive Counseling Enriched Classroom at Bridges Academy 
 
What led you to your current position?
I grew up in Oakland, California and have been working with kids since I was a teenager in City of Oakland Summer Camps. I have always known that I wanted to work with children. I went to college out of state and after getting a degree in psychology, spent about a year working in a Residential Facility for teenagers who had often experienced intense trauma. I had very little training in working with trauma, but loved the work and the connections I got to build with these kids who had often rarely felt heard and understood. I realized that I needed more training and education to be able to make more of an intentional and helpful impact.  I moved back to Oakland and went to graduate school, studying Counseling Psychology with an emphasis on trauma informed care. I did some work in the community as a TBS provider and loved working with families and children. I wanted to work in Oakland Public Schools because I grew up attending them and felt a drive to give back to my community and work with kids and families struggling to manage overwhelming circumstances often beyond their control. So, when I saw a position with Seneca based in an Oakland Public Elementary school, I went for it! 
 
Fun Fact/Quote: I grew up singing and playing the piano and still love to do both!
 
What does your average day look like?
I start my day by checking in with our classroom team and greeting the students as they arrive. I check in with clients as needed and help them think about their plans or goals for the day. Every morning, I participate in the whole class “Morning Meeting” where clients and staff check in with the group about their feelings and personal goals for the day. I often then run a group therapy session or start individual sessions for the day. Throughout the day, when I am not in sessions with clients, I am often in the classroom helping out, checking in with clients as needed, supporting them in managing in-the-moment concerns or talking with parents and other staff. Some days I meet with parents or families after school for family therapy or support or I meet with the team to debrief the day and coordinate services for the next day. 
 
Why do you do this work?
I do this work because I passionately believe that every person deserves to experience being, heard and understood.  I have seen that many of the children and families that enter our services have rarely or never experienced that for many reasons – systematic oppression, trauma, lack of resources or support etc. Many of my students and families enter our classroom feeling worn down and mistreated by the systems that they have interacted with and have been doing their best on their own for a long time. I strive to be someone that kids and families feel that they can talk to and feel seen and heard without judgement and with unconditional positive regard and respect, because I believe that that is the foundation of healing. I love working in schools because of the ability to collaborate with other caring, intelligent and creative people who are just as passionate in supporting people in learning and healing. 
 
What hope do you have for the future of this program? 
I hope that this program continues to strive for inclusion of students who struggle with emotional, behavioral or learning issues and in supporting youth and families in receiving the best care and support possible. 

As we settle into the new school year one of the most pressing issues facing educators is that of school safety.  Incidents of gun violence at school are statistically very rare, but these tragic events live within our cultural consciousness and occur with much greater frequency in the United States than any other part of the world.  According to a 2016 US Department of Education Report more than 90% of public schools have developed a written plan for responding to school shootings and more than 70% of schools have conducted drills to practice those plans.

In recent months, several of our school partners have experienced verbal threats of violence and have had to put these crisis response protocols to the test.  Thankfully, in each instance, no actual incidents of violence occurred, and the threats were deemed to lack credibility.  In each instance, schools were able to successfully identify areas of concern and respond promptly to ensure the safety of their communities.

Partnering with schools through these incidents has led me to consider: What is it that Unconditional Education brings to the conversation on school safety?

Building upon the foundation of Unconditional Care, Unconditional Education emphasizes the important role relationship and connection play in the process of growth and learning. It has become commonly accepted that students must experience a relative sense of security in order to attend to the processes required for academic learning. However, what is further emerging is an understanding of how strong relationship in and of themselves contribute to a culture of safety.
While many schools across the country have installed metal detectors, security cameras and in some cases uniformed or even armed guards, there is no conclusive evidence that these measures work to prevent school violence. And in some cases, they may exacerbate troubling patterns of identification of perpetrators fueled by implicit bias.

A 2001 Safe Schools Initiative study conducted jointly by the United States Secret Service and Department of Education shed light on what we do know about incidents of youth violence, particularly mass violence, in the school setting with these 10 key findings:

• Incidents of targeted violence at school are rarely sudden, impulsive acts.
• Prior to most incidents, other people knew about the attacker’s idea and/or plan to attack.
• Most attackers did not threaten their targets directly prior to advancing the attack.
• There is no accurate or useful "profile" of students who engage in targeted school violence.
• Most attackers engaged in some behavior, prior to the incident that caused concern or indicated a need for help.
• Most attackers were known to have difficulty coping with significant losses or personal failures. Many had considered or attempted suicide.
• Many attackers felt bullied, persecuted, or injured by others prior to the attack.
• Most attackers had access to and had used weapons prior to the attack.
• In many cases, other students were involved in some capacity.
• Despite prompt law enforcement responses, most shooting incidents were stopped by means other than law enforcement intervention.

These findings point to an understanding that beyond physical safety measures, it is meaningful and trusting relationships between staff and students and whole school approaches to the social emotional well-being of students that serve as protective factors against incidents of school violence.  When individuals can access appropriate mental health supports and feel a sense of belonging within their school community, they are less likely to become perpetrators of violence. When students have strong relationships with adults that they trust, they are more likely to alert those adults to the comments or actions of other students that indicate potential for harm. When adults have strong and trusting relationships with each other, they can successfully respond at the earliest signs of trouble. Schools that are trusting and inclusive communities provide members with the needed sense of security to support their growth and learning.
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Have a safe and happy school year!

Blog Post Written by: Robin Detterman, Executive Director of School Partnerships