All-in’s Department of Strategic Initiatives has been working hard to think about the dissemination of our model and approach with a broader community. In that vein, I have been afforded the opportunity to work closely with our internal lead training team (Jason Keppe, Jordan Ullman, William Chiang) to codify our existing systems and structures to better support the coordination of trainings for our partners and think about how to extend the great work that is already happening in the area of training and development.

“Without question, when the majority of students in public schools are students of color and only 18 percent of our teachers are teachers of color, we have an urgent need to act. We’ve got to understand that all students benefit from teacher diversity. We have strong evidence that students of color benefit from having teachers and leaders who look like them as role models and also benefit from the classroom dynamics that diversity creates. But it is also important for our white students to see teachers of color in leadership roles in their classrooms and communities. The question for the nation is how do we address this quickly and thoughtfully?”

- Education Secretary John B. King, Jr., speaking at Howard University, March 8, 2016.

Here are two facts about the student body population in the state of California:

• The student population in California is becoming increasingly diverse.
• There’s are not enough teachers of color teaching in our classrooms.

When I was a kid, I attended an elementary school in Oakland. Its name “La Escuelita”, means “Little School” in Spanish. At La Escuelita, 90% of the teacher and admin body was composed of teachers of color. From pre-school to fifth grade, I was lucky enough to be taught by staff who looked and sounded like me. My parents were heavily involved in my education, and the administration welcomed their presence and opinions. Everything was taught in Spanish and English, which allowed me to develop complex thinking skills and a solid understanding of both languages. As a result, I legitimately grew up thinking that I could become anything I wanted to be. The thought of higher education was not daunting, rather an expectation for me.
 
It wasn’t until 6th grade that I learned that I’d been living a fallacy of sorts. La Escuelita wasn’t the norm, it was the exception. Teachers were constantly taken aback by how “smart” I was. I remember talking about my life plans with my 8th grade teacher years later. I told her about my plans to go to college and later become a successful, doctor? I can’t remember what I wanted to be anymore. What I do remember is the look on her face. She told me I was the first student she had ever met who thought about college as something that was definitely going to happen. She’d spent years teaching children involved in gangs in the streets of Chicago and now she was in Oakland hoping to save the next crew of students. I was confused. I wasn’t in a gang, and I didn’t need saving.

In an effort to connect with us, my summer book list was composed of books like, Always Running by Luis Rodriguez (a book about a student who overcomes gang life) and another book about teenage pregnancy. My parents were around, but not comfortable enough to bring up the evident stereotyping issues in our assignments. Unsurprisingly, none of the books on my summer reading lists made any of the topics on the SAT’s or my college English placement tests.
 
In 2016, the US Department of Education released The State of Racial Diversity in the Educator Workforce Report, which states the following: “...compared with their peers, teachers of color are more likely to:

1. Have higher expectations of students of color (as measured by higher numbers of referrals to gifted programs);
2. Confront issues of racism;
3. Serve as advocates and cultural brokers;
4. Develop more trusting relationships with students, particularly those with whom they share a cultural background”

 
I am incredibly proud of the work that Seneca is doing to promote POC’s in leadership and teaching positions, but we can still do more!
 
So tell me. What do you all think? What can we do to bridge this gap in educators?
 
Leave your thoughts below!

For many people, the holidays are filled with joy, food, presents, time off and lots of social events and activities. As I walk around schools, and talk with teachers and students, some have count downs to winter break and could not be more excited for the time off. However, for some students and colleagues, the holidays can be a painful and sad time. It could be the anniversary of a loved one passing away, reminder of family discord, feelings of isolation and loneliness, and unhappiness. Some of our students may be dreading break because school is the place where they have stability, consistent meals, safety and adult support, and two weeks of not having those may elicit difficult feelings. We can make small changes in how we address the holidays and winter break to help support our colleagues and students that have harder times during this season. 

As a supervisor and colleague, I have worked with individuals who find holidays difficult, and have learned different ways to support them through my experiences at Seneca. Some ideas include:

• Remain curious and ask questions. Don’t assume that everyone is excited for the holidays and break. Ask questions about how one is feeling about the upcoming holidays. By remaining curious, we can find out a lot about others, their experiences and feelings in order to support them better. 
• Check in more frequently. I worked with an individual whose family member passed away during the holidays, and the holidays became a reminder of their grief and loss. I asked what I could do to support and they responded that more frequent check ins are helpful. Small gestures of “I’m thinking about you” and “How are you doing?” go a long way. Send short texts, emails or even a call to let people know you’re there and you care. 
• Anticipate that your colleagues may have hard days during the holidays, and be prepared to support them at work by switching out with them if they need a break, encouraging them to share with their supervisor how they are feeling and encouraging them to take time off and prioritize self-care.
• OptionB, a non-profit organization designed to provide support to those facing adversity, has a page dedicated to providing support and resources to those who face difficulties during the holidays. They even have free e-cards you can send to those needing some additional support during this time of year.

Just like adults may struggle with the holidays, some of our students also have challenging experiences with this time of year. Some thoughts to support students include:

• Be mindful of how we talk or ask about holidays to students. Avoid questions like “Are you excited for break?” Or “What fun things do you have planned to do?” We can rephrase to ask “What are your plans for break?” “How do you feel about the holidays/break?” Avoid using terms such as “mom” or “dad” and focus on more inclusive language such as “family,” “friends” and “people.” 
• Avoid countdowns or comments in front of students about “I can’t wait for break” or “Only 4 more days...” Focus on the time you have with your students, and express that you will miss working with them over the break.
• Ensure assignments or activities are holiday sensitive and prompts don’t include questions such as “What was your favorite gift you received?” Or “Tell me three fun things you did over break.”
• Connect students or families that need additional support to resources ahead of the break. Work with your school team to ensure students have food over the breaks, access to organizations that could provide gifts, and places to go to for mental health support during the school break.
• Create a safe space for students to talk about the holidays and express their feelings. Check in with students who you know may struggle more during the holidays and have a plan to support them. Share with all students that everyone experiences holidays differently, and include ideas on how they can be more empathetic and supportive of their peers.

I appreciate the Seneca value of curiosity, and remaining open and interested in people and their experiences. We can learn so much about others and how we support them by asking questions and having an open mind. While it can be easy to assume that most people enjoy the holidays, we need to remember that staff and students alike have different experiences and try to incorporate small changes in order to provide a safer, more inclusive space during the holidays. 

Name: Hannah Olver
Position: Behavior Intervention Specialist
What led you to your current position: Before coming to Seneca I was bartending/serving for several years. I wanted to have a job where I could work directly with people and help them gain tools to help themselves heal. I was interested in working in a school because I have a passion for learning. I started off as an SSC at Destiny Middle School and now am getting to work more in depth with students and teachers as a BIS.
Fun Fact/Quote: I love lifting weights! Doing heavy squats are my favorite.
What does your average day look like: I spend lots of time checking in with different students and setting goals with them. Some check-ins mean walking with a student and talking about strategies to combat anxiety, others look like an emotional check-in and setting a specific academic goal for the day. I meet with teachers and collaborate with them about students and other issues in their classrooms. I also run two weekly social emotional circles.
Why do you do this work: I want help others on their path to healing. I love partnering with people as they pick the right tools and open their own doors to success. 

At Impact Puget Sound Elementary (Impact PSE), part of the Washington specialist team [made up of occupational therapist, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, and school psychologists] has had the opportunity to put Seneca values into action. This fall, a student with very high needs enrolled in the public charter school. This child is non-verbal, does not use assistive technology, and has decreased muscle strength and tone. The specialist team supporting her at Impact includes myself (an Occupational Therapist), our speech language pathologist, Ashley Contreras-France, and Lee Butler, Lead Learning Specialist.

Name: Ashley Contreras-France
Position: Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
What led you to your current position: I have been working as an SLP for a few years. I got into this field, because I had an interest in linguistics and neuroscience. I loved that this area combines those two areas of study to support people in their ability to communicate and engage with others. For kids, sometimes this is setting up a whole system via pictures or with a device. For others, this could be supporting their attempts, usually through misinterpreted behaviors, with more effective outlets to make wants and needs known. My transition from a medical setting to Seneca was to move into work with kids and from an interest in Seneca’s approach towards the supportive systems that are in place in schools or those that need to be developed.
Fun Fact/Quote: I love cooking! I wanted to be a chef and applied to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. I didn’t end up going, because my parents thought I should pursue a “sensible career”. So, I indulge in my hobby now as a method of relaxation after a long day!
What does your average day look like: I work at several different schools, but for the most part the routine is similar. I arrive, check in with staff about upcoming events in the school (e.g., testing, field trips, community events, etc.). Then, I review or create materials for my planned sessions. I go to different classrooms and pull my assigned students. Therapy looks different depending on who and what is being treated (e.g., a 5-year-old with an articulation disorder vs. a 12-year-old with challenges sequencing a story). I, typically, see students in individual or small groups (usually 2 students). Then, I have to document (aka. Write down and interpret everything we did in session). I usually check in with teachers for students who are demonstrating challenges and “spy” on them in their classes to get an idea of potential strategies. This may lead to a Tier 2 intervention, but sometimes it helps teachers with Tier 1, and their individual teaching strategies. I write a lot of reports and attend meetings to share information with families and the school about student’s who would benefit from additional support. Sometimes, I get to give good news that the student is doing so well, we can exit them from speech therapy!
Why do you do this work: I really believe that Seneca’s model of Unconditional Education is a livable philosophy. For me, this means that throwing the best resources to support each student’s success gives that individual the best opportunity to not only make it, but excel in this world. I believe that my unique skill set as an SLP allows for me to participate in this framework in a meaningful way.

Exactly one year ago, the federal government rescinded guidelines put in place in 2014 to address racial disparities in school discipline, guidelines that align quite extensively with the Unconditional Education approach in schools. The guiding principles included:

1. A Focus on School Climate and Prevention Efforts
2. Clear, Appropriate, and Consistent Expectations and Consequences
3. Training School Staff to apply Discipline Equitably and focus on Continuous Improvement

While these 2014 guidelines were not binding, they did send a clear message from the federal level that schools should be paying attention to and addressing disproportionality in their discipline practices, particularly their exclusionary practices such as suspension.

The reason given by the federal department of education for rescinding these guidelines in 2018 focus on school autonomy. Betsy DeVos shared in a statement that, “Our decision to rescind that guidance today makes it clear that discipline is a matter on which classroom teachers and local school leaders deserve and need autonomy. I would encourage them to continue to implement discipline reforms that they believe will foster improved outcomes for their students."

This shift in policy removes a certain level of expectation and pressure for schools to focus efforts on creating equitable learning environments for students. The misguided nature of this shift in policy has been highlighted even further by a recent study out of Stanford that shows a link between the achievement gap and racial disparities in school discipline:

Name: Rose Triest
Your Position: Mental Health Counselor at Sequoia Elementary school 
What led you to your current position: It has always been my passion to provide care for those who perceive as ones that "can't be helped." After working with youth leaving the juvenile justice system I was looking for an opportunity with the same goal of helping those no matter the circumstance. In my move back to northern California, a friend told me of Seneca and their model of Unconditional education and care that caught my eye.
Fun Fact/Quote: "feelings are for the soul what food is for the body." -Rudolf Steiner 
What does your average day look like: I work in a Counseling Enriched Classroom at Sequoia Elementary with seven kids, in which I provide unconditional care and am available as a resource and support to the students. I work with the students on building their social emotional needs and prepare them to transition to a less restrictive classroom by providing a safe environment for the students to express themselves and help to meet their needs.  My favorite place to be is in the garden we created for the students to have a sanctuary and a space to have some hands on sensory activities. A day can be anything from supporting a student in a mainstream classroom, facilitating a classroom activity, engaging in self-reflections with students so that they are mindful of their actions and behaviors, creating a safety plan to support the success of students at school, or even making smoothies with them!
Why do you do this work: I have always wanted to work with children by providing safety and support for them so that they are comfortable to express themselves. I have worked with youth in many different capacities and contexts, and being a mental health counselor particularly interested me because of the idea of giving students extra support in a classroom so that they have a stronger foundation to grow and transition to another classroom. From working with the students at my school, I can see how having support that connects school to home is truly beneficial.