Blog By: Stacey Buenavista, Director of School Partnerships

​UE Constellation program is excited to highlight Creekside Middle school!
​Creekside is located in Castro Valley and is one of 2 middle schools in this small east bay town.  Castro Valley Unified School district is not new to our partnership as we have supported the CEC classroom at Redwood High School (the district’s credit recovery campus) for several years.  But this year our partnership has expanded to include Castro Valley High school and Creekside middle school!
This is our first full school year with Creekside middle school.  Last year the partnership initially began with a single outpatient provider who held a small caseload and attended to a range of crisis needs.  But this year we are excited to have expanded to a full counseling enriched classroom (CEC) which includes our Clinical Intervention Specialist, Casey Soto and 2 Mental health counselors Yorelis Gutierrez and Madelaine West.  The dedicated team provides a range of tier 3 services including individual, group and family therapy, direct behavioral support services, crisis intervention, case management and collaboration with district partners including most closely the district special education teacher. The team has proudly represented the Seneca FOA values of love and compassion, hope and courage, respect, curiosity, joy, equity and justice.  Through their dedication and modeling we are aligning our shared vision of the partnership in an exciting way.
We look forward to continuing to strengthen this partnership so that students who were initially being transferred out of district for services can return to their home communities to receive support and care that aligns with the shared values.  

Blog By: Jessica Welsh, Clinical Supervisor

Position: Program Supervisor

What led you to your current position? My journey to becoming a Program Supervisor came as I was figuring out what I wanted to do next, both professionally and academically. While I was thinking about going back to school, I knew I wanted to grow as a leader and be a more well-rounded individual. This position offered the perfect opportunity to gain experience, support students, mentor others, and prepare me for future roles.

What inspires you to do this work? I love being able to support students during such an important time in their lives. Knowing I can help guide them and have a positive impact on their growth is rewarding. I also thrive on the challenges this work presents. Each day is a chance to grow, problem-solve, and learn. Beyond the work itself, I’m grateful for the people I meet along the way who support me and encourage me to keep pushing forward. This journey has also allowed me to become a role model for younger family members, which keeps me going when things get tough. It’s both humbling and motivating to know that my actions can influence those around me.

What is a recent highlight you’ve experienced in the work or an important lesson you’ve learned in this role? One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in this role is the importance of self-care. I know everyone says it, but taking the time to check in with yourself and prioritize your own wellness is needed. Whether that means seeking support, taking a day off, or making space to spend time with your loved ones, it's so important to recharge. The work we do is demanding, and it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle; but if we don’t take care of ourselves, it becomes much harder to show up for others. I’ve learned that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of others.
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Share your life motto or something unique about yourself: Sometimes, it’s the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine. Believe in yourself and live a life that you can be proud of.

Position: Clinical Counseling Associate

What led you to your current position? My supervisors and the classroom clinicians I've worked with have been awesome mentors and have encouraged me to become a CCA. After gaining some experience in the CCA role, I am now pursuing a Masters in Social Work. 

What inspires you to do this work? My personal and family healing journey first brought me to this work. Now, I am constantly inspired by our clients and their perseverance through their own healing journeys. Our youth are so resilient, open to learning new skills and ideas, and have an innate sense of justice that is always inspiring to me.

What is a recent highlight you’ve experienced in the work or an important lesson you’ve learned in this role? As a lifelong caretaker, I've often found myself rushing to solve everyone's problems. In this work, I've learned the importance of providing space and empowering others to create their own solutions in their own way and timeline. 
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Share your life motto or something unique about yourself. I love roller skating and was a founding member of the first junior roller derby league.

​In January of this year, Hayward became the first city in the Bay Area, and one of the first cities in the country, to divest the city’s stock ownership stakes in four companies that support the genocide of Palestinians (Chevron, Hyundai, Intel and Caterpillar).

​Hayward’s holdings in the four companies amounted to $1.6 million and the motion narrowly passed with a vote of 4-3 from the Hayward City Council. During the city council meeting, nearly 50 people provided public comments, the majority of which were youth from Hayward Public Schools (and some from the schools that we partner with).
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The HEART program is proud to work with youth fighting for the collective liberation of all oppressed people and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim families in our Hayward community.

Blog By: Jesse Wiltey, Assistant Director of School Partnerships

​As a part of our focus on professional development this year in our West Bay program, we have been dedicating time to discuss Decolonizing Therapy by Dr. Jennifer Mullan. Dr. Jennifer Mullan offers practical steps that we can take to engage in decolonizing our therapeutic work. Clinicians in our program have been really engaged in exploring the impacts of oppressive systems on the clients and families we serve and the role that we play in those oppressive systems. So far, we have had several lively and rich discussions about the book. If you are more interested in learning about Dr. Mullan's work, watch the video linked in this post. 

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxhCPY88hGA

Blog By: Jalecia Jones, Clinical Supervisor

Position: UE Coach
What led you to your current position? I transitioned to my role as UE Coach after teaching in schools that implemented the Unconditional Education (UE) model. Witnessing the profound impact of this approach on students and families inspired me to leverage my teaching experience to support school staff in achieving meaningful outcomes.
What inspires you to do this work? I am driven by a commitment to community engagement and prioritizing the humanity of individuals navigating the challenges of public education in Title 1 schools.
What is a recent highlight you’ve experienced in the work or an important lesson you’ve learned in this role? A key lesson I’ve learned in this role is the value of listening to understand different perspectives. I’ve come to recognize that the stories told by data can ignite transformative change.
Share your life motto or something unique about yourself. "We are all little seeds just trying to grow."

​We are thrilled to announce that the West Coast Connections program has been recognized by the West Contra Costa Unified School District as the Community-Based Organization of the Year. This prestigious honor is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our team to support children, families, and communities through transformative, trauma-informed practices and school-wide systems of care. Amber Fretwell, our Executive Director, proudly accepted this award on behalf of our agency on September 30th, recognizing the incredible efforts of each staff member who makes our mission a reality every day.

Our partnership with WCCUSD started in 2016 with three Unconditional Education Coaches at Ford Elementary, Grant Elementary, and Verde Elementary, implementing data informed and researched based school-wide interventions. These interventions included Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports, Coordination of Services Teams, Professional Development and Capacity Building for staff, social skills groups for students, and much more.  Over the years, we’ve expanded our partnerships and currently serve 12 schools, providing a range of services.  In addition to UE Coaches, we have Clinical Intervention Specialists who provide therapy for students who qualify through medi-cal, Behavior Intervention Specialists who help develop and implement school-wide behavioral systems, and Student Support Assistance who provide individualized behavior supports for students.  We are also in our first year of training WCCUSD staff on how to facilitate CARE teams to ensure equitable access to services and interventions on school campuses. 
 
This award belongs to each member of our team whose dedication makes a difference every day. Thank you to all the passionate staff members whose hard work and commitment to the children, families, and communities we serve make our program possible. Your unwavering dedication to positive change and your belief in the power of healing and centering the voices of students and families is truly inspiring.
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Congratulations to the entire West Coast Connections team, and a heartfelt thank you to the West Contra Costa Unified School District for this wonderful recognition! Together, we are building brighter futures and creating supportive, equitable spaces where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Blog By: Laura Lin, Director of School Partnerships