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The Many Hats of a Student Support Assistant

3/24/2021

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​“We all wear different hats here, formal and informal. Can you talk about the hats you wear in your community and what they mean to you?” This was a question my housemate asked someone applying to live in our cooperatively run house during their informal interview. It is a question I’ve been subliminally thinking about at work all year. 

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I’ve always worn different ‘hats’ as a Student Support Assistant (SSA). Our work weaves across the behavioral, socio-emotional, and academic realms depending on the students we are working with, what our school partners expect from us, and sometimes just depending on what kind of day it is. Yet I’ve found this to be especially pronounced during distance learning.

​At the dentist this week, the hygienist asked me what I do for a living, and I was tongue-tied for a moment. Last year I might have said something like, “I provide mental health and behavioral support for students at school,” because that felt like my primary role. Academics were often put on the backburner during support time with my kids because the behavioral, socio-emotional pot was boiling over.

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In distance learning, however, many SSAs are trying on the ‘teacher’ hat in new ways. One SSA said that last year she felt like a lot of her job was, “...a lot of crisis response and general in-the-moment behavioral redirections, incentive plans, tracking, and stuff like that,” whereas since distance learning, her work has shifted to encompass more of an academic support role focused on supplemental teaching. Some SSAs are also running reading intervention groups, or in my case, a community meeting every day for a group of sixth graders. School staff are spread thin, and as SSAs, we often flex and bend to fill in the gaps. With shortened class periods and long independent work blocks, there are a lot of academic gaps to fill. 

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Providing emotional support also looks different outside the often hectic school setting, with both potential for disengagement and intimacy. One SSA said she finds herself, “often feeling like a therapist” during her one-on-one Zoom check-ins with kids, with “a lot more kind of ‘talk therapy’ that comes up.” In the words of another SSA, “...we spend the most time with students, so we often have to switch out of different hats because we have to meet the different needs of the students throughout the day.” The need for emotional support has always been there, but the opportunities and needs for one-on-one check-ins with students have grown during this year of isolation.
 
One SSA described our role as always wearing the hats of teacher, therapist, case manager, and behavioral coach rolled into one, and for her that hasn’t changed during distance learning. The main difference for her is that she is now finally accessing training on supporting students’ needs outside the behavioral realm: “For example, I had to dispense a lot of academic content without any training on how to teach math, ELA, etc. to students [last year].” This year, however, she had the opportunity to receive some training around supporting students with academic needs. 

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​Sometimes I feel spread too thin as an SSA. Other times, I feel grateful that I get to be so many different versions of myself in one day. To a group of 12 sixth graders, I’m their community meeting teacher. To other kids, I’m the person who helps them with their schoolwork and organization skills. Then there is my 3rd grader who asked, “Wait, are you my therapist?” And I get to take the things I’ve learned in each of these roles and apply them to whatever situation I find myself in. It’s a balancing act that can be draining, and is not for everyone, but I find that grounding in the relationships I am building—despite whatever hat I’m wearing—keeps me from slipping.

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Blog Post Written By: Trinity Morton, Student Support Assistant
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Essential and Wholesome: Pulling Together Community Care

12/21/2020

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My role as a Student Support Assistant has primarily involved supporting students in being the best version of themselves at school and beyond. While on campus, this mostly involved providing academic support, behavioral guidance, incentives, redirections, positive reinforcements, conflict resolution, etc. However, in the world of distance learning, this support has looked a lot different. It became evident that the primary needs coming up for students were not just related to school. Due to the pandemic and its various consequences, students have communicated to me that their families are experiencing significant financial hardships: they are unable to eat breakfast, or they have run out of soap and shampoo because their families cannot afford groceries or supplies. I quickly came to realize that these needs come first: it is nearly impossible to succeed in school with a hungry belly, or without being able to feel clean.

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It was with this knowledge that I was able to mobilize members of the community to donate items and funds to support the students and families who were struggling most. Through the generosity of the local community, we raised over $4,000, four car loads of soaps, shampoos, diapers, etc. and have partnered with a local food distribution company to provide monthly produce donations to consistently provide families with healthy and fresh food. The funds have supported families that have lost loved ones to COVID-19, covering funeral costs. The hygiene supplies and household items have been set up on display in one of the classrooms on campus as a “free store” where families can visit and “shop” for what they need. The produce has provided families with pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to create healthy and sustainable meals for the entire family unit.
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We have all had to think outside the box as school staff this year, tailoring our supports beyond just the school, and seeing the WHOLE child and the real time issues coming up for each student. I feel it a privilege during this holiday season to hold the title as a Student Support Assistant, and to support and assist students and families in a meaningful way during this difficult year.
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Be safe, be healthy, and Happy Holidays to all.
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Blog Post Written By: Iris Wagner, Student Support Assistant
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Owning Growth: How Our Behavioral Team is Developing Anti-Racist Work

11/25/2020

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The All-In Leadership Team has committed to reflecting on their personal and professional perpetuation of White Supremacy culture while unlearning and relearning how to dismantle oppressive systems within our program and teams. Through this, we have developed a deeper understanding of what it means to bring equity to the forefront of our work.

Historically, the Behavioral Leadership Team has planned their Professional Learning Community’s scope and sequence for the upcoming school year during the previous summer. This systematic planning consisted of coordinating the facilitation of professional development training with other leaders in our program.

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This year, in attempt to build an inclusive environment focused on equity, our Behavior Leadership Team began to dive into dismantling and disrupting White Supremacy culture within our Professional Learning Community. We have applied strategies to shift dynamics of White Supremacy Culture in our work based on Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun’s 15 Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture.
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The Behavioral Team acknowledges both the spoken and unspoken norms that exist within our strand, and we are working on a collaborative approach that will push us forward, shifting:  
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​In shifting those norms, we have:
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White dominant culture has been adopted by many of us through spoken and unspoken norms. Both have contributed to my personal social identity and how I navigate spaces as a Black woman. To increase the eradication of White Supremacy Culture, the Behavioral Strand continues to attend and encourage others to attend development opportunities facilitated by BIPOC people.
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Here are a few resources that I have enjoyed reading. Take a look and leave a comment if you’ve read any, or plan on reading any in the future:  
  • By Marc Brackett: Permission to Feel
  • By Resmaa Menakem: My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
  • By Bettina Love: We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom
  • By Ibram Kendi: Stamped from the Beginning: The definitive History of Racist Ideas in America
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Blog Post Written By: Devina Brooks, Behavior Intervention Supervisor
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More Than a Question: A Social-Emotional Story

3/24/2020

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Another brisk cool morning in Oakland, I stood next to my student, bending my knees to look into their eyes. My knees had not grown weary of the numerous times I have lowered my body to converse with a student eye to eye. This morning, at Lazear Charter Academy, began with a series of exploratory questions of my student's physical & emotional well-being. However, today this student, amid the brisk air and cold metal rail that spied on this interaction, would say something different. The student said something I did not expect. The student told me…

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The importance of the social-emotional aspect of children, which the book Unconditional Education highlights, has recently gained attention in the world of education. This shift of thought transpired in the mid-20th century. The previous sentiment can be encapsulated by the phrase, “children should be seen and not heard,” which refers to a cultural belief that children’s perspectives were inferior in comparison to their older counterparts. Thanks to people in medicine, popular media, and education, we have made strides in recognizing that children should not only be seen and heard, but also understood. UE emphasizes that the social-emotional strand of children should be acknowledged and taken seriously. This post is an introduction to resources that can be implemented in classrooms and workplaces that support the social-emotional aspect of school communities. 

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In his book, Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive, Professor Mark Brackett, Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, discusses the importance of creating holistic education that does not just focus on academics, but addresses the emotional needs of children. In 2019, Greater Good Magazine interviewed Dr. Brackett, which mentioned how he “led the development of
an emotional skills building program called R.U.L.E.R.”
 
Children’s Television Host and Advocate Fred Rogers once said, “feelings are mentionable and manageable.” Allowing others to talk about feelings with trusted people creates a positive difference in the school environment and culture.
Below is an excerpt from the book Permission to Feel by Professor Brackett that briefly outlines the 5 emotional skills as part of the R.U.L.E.R program:
  1. Recognize – “Recognize our own emotions and those of others, not just in the things we think, feel, and say but facial expressions, body language, vocal tones, and other non-verbal signals.”
  2. Understand – “Understand those feelings and determine feelings and determine their source - what experience actually caused them - and then see how they’ve influenced our behaviors.
  3. Label – “Label emotions with a nuanced vocabulary.”
  4. Express – “Express our feelings in accordance with cultural norms and social contexts in a way that tries to inform and invites empathy from the listener.”
  5. Regulate – “Regulate emotions, rather than let them regulate us, by finding practical strategies for dealing with what we and others feel.”
In the GGM interview, “Brackett says we need to encourage more emotional expression - not less - and that we should teach emotional skills to people starting from a young age”, which is needed in our schools and society today.

… with a sudden pause, looking at me with curiosity. The student inquired,

“How [is]... your day?”

​What may seem as a simple question is actually a great opportunity for deeper intrinsic connection between two people. The way I respond can make all the difference in role modeling the importance of earnestness when it comes to our feelings. We know children “don’t do what we say but do as we do.” A question like, “how is your day?” from others, usually constitutes a “fine,” “good,” or “alright” answer, but what does that tell our children about our value to feelings?

How would you respond?

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​Our age-appropriate responses to one another can make all the difference in creating generational social-emotional awareness and demonstrating to our children that emotions are signs of our humanity, rather than our weakness.

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Blog Post Written By: Ulisses Vasquez, Student Support Assistant
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SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: Learning Without Limits Learning Lab Blast!

2/24/2020

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As a response to feeling unseen and a sense of confusion from staff about our model of inclusion at Learning without Limits (LWL), Student Support Services Coordinator Katie Ruffman and I decided to write weekly blog updates on the work that the Special Education staff, also named the Learning Lab Team, at LWL was doing. We specifically wanted to highlight the work that the Learning Lab Team covered in our monthly meetings that we felt was important to share out and norm on as a whole school. We called them Learning Lab Blasts! Our first two posts have included information about positive breaks and how we respond to property destruction. The latest blog post that you can read below is about what general education staff can do when they see a crisis occurring. This is a resource that I wanted to share out because when a student is in crisis, it is easy for folks outside of the special education team to feel like “a deer in headlights,” or respond in a way that can intensify the crisis.
 
Here are some helpful tips that I hope you can share with your school communities so that folks are normed on how to support during a crisis.

February Learning Lab Blasts!
​What to do when you see a crisis occurring

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What is a crisis?

Using the visual above, we can look at different stages of an escalation. When a student is at baseline, they are relatively calm, able to have rational thoughts, and are able to access their education. For every student, their baseline looks different, and we would consider this state as “ready to learn.” Then we move into the early escalation and escalation phases. These are times where the student may still be able to access some levels of rational thinking, but their emotions are starting to heighten, and behaviors can occur. This can look obvious, such as a student yelling at a peer or leaving class; or can be more subtle, like rocking in their chair continuously or tapping their foot. We want to be vigilant of signs like these to make sure the student does not reach the crisis phase and can move back toward baseline. However, this is not always possible, and if unable to de-escalate, students reach a crisis phase. This is the state in which a child loses control, rational thinking is none to little, and emotions are heightened. Their nervous systems are in fight, flight or freeze mode. This is where you may see students exhibiting tantrums like behaviors, voicing extreme verbal threats towards themselves or others, becoming physical with themselves or others, doing other things that are unsafe like climbing fences, throwing objects or even making suicidal comments. A crisis is a very sensitive time for students and, thus, we as a school community need to be aware of best practices when witnessing a student in this very delicate and should-be-private time. The last pieces on this graph, de-escalation and reintegration (restoration), will be covered in the next Learning Lab Blast – so keep an eye out for it if you want to learn more!

If the child has support, what can I do to help?

​If the child is being supported by a counselor or administrator, then you may think that they got it covered and do not need any additional support. However, this is not always the case. If you have ever witnessed a student in crisis, you probably notice it is not usually a moment that feels very private; often because the behaviors exhibited can include yelling, property destruction and any number of behaviors that would naturally draw attention to the child. This leads to the first and most important action you can do in order to make this moment of crisis feel a little more contained for the student.
Clearing the surrounding area
A student in crisis is not a show, and the best thing that you can do is clear students and families from the area. If the students or families are expressing concern, that is perfectly normal, and you can validate those feelings as well as reassure them that there are folks with the appropriate training to support these students and that they are safe. If there are additional comments or concerns that they would like to discuss, you can direct them to the front office to talk about next steps - without the student being able to hear.
Do not engage with the student
When a student is in crisis, all rational goes out of the window and they are only able to hear very short (5 words or less) directions coming from one person, known as crisis communication. It may feel supportive to reinforce the directions being given to the student by the adult with them, but this can often lead to confusion for the student or even make you a target of their behaviors. It is best to let the primary respondent take the lead.
Ask the adult if they need additional support
If you feel like the adult needs support, you can ask the adult if they would like for you to notify the office or administration for additional support. Realize – you do not need to support directly to be helpful.

What about if the child is unsupported?

If the child in crisis is unsupported, your main objective should be to make sure that the student stays safe by keeping eyes on them and immediately contacting the front office, administration, or a Learning Lab team member for support. If you need to engage with the child to ensure their safety, it is important that you follow these guidelines.
Use brief language
As mentioned above, a student in crisis is unable to process many words at a time. When communicating, it is imperative that you can state directions in 5 words or less. Example: “put the chair down.” This crisis communication should be used in the case that the student is doing things that have the possibility to cause imminent harm to them or other students while you are keeping eyes on them. Otherwise, if for example, they are just yelling and screaming in the yard but not posing a threat to those around them or themselves, you can just keep your eyes on the student and call for support.
 
Caveat: If you are a teacher or other staff that is highly familiar with the student and their plan, please feel empowered to use crisis communication and try to de-escalate the child while waiting on further support
Don’t talk about consequences
The main focus in a crisis moment is to get the student to a de-escalation stage, not to let them know about their consequences. Following an escalation, there will always be a key reflect, restore and reintegration piece, but that is only talked about when the student is back at baseline. Talking about consequences in the moment, or, for example, using language around important people in their lives being “disappointed.” tends to only exacerbate the situation. Remember: the key focus is to get the student back to baseline and in a state of relative control.
 
I hope this was helpful and empowers you to feel more able to support our students in crisis!
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Blog Post Written By: Lidia Sebhat, Lead Student Support Assistant
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Advancing Behavioral and Clinical Careers within All-In!

1/29/2020

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Behavioral Strand Highlight

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In All In, growth-mindset is part of our culture. In individual and group supervision, we are constantly discussing personal and professional growth opportunities as a result of this work.
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As we wrapped up 2019, the Behavioral Strands Leadership Team hosted a Seneca Career Fair. The objective of the career fair was to provide the Behavioral Team, specifically our Student Support Assistants an opportunity to meet, actively engage with, and learn from their fellow Senecans about various career tracks held within Seneca Family of Agencies. On the panel of participants were an array of representatives for positions including, but not limited to:
  • Academic Intervention Specialist
  • Assistant Director of Implementation
  • Clinical Intervention Specialist
  • Director of Operations
  • Director is School Partnership
  • DESI (Data, Evaluation, and Strategic Initiatives) Project Manager
  • Program Assistant
  • School Psychologist
  • School Psychologist Intern
  • TBS (Therapeutic Behavioral Services) Clinician
  • UE (Unconditional Education) Coach 
  • and much more!
It was a magical event, and the plan is to host this type of engagement activity on an annual basis. 

As we enter into 2020, “Stay Interviews" have begun. We use this interview format  to inquire about plans and professional development goals for next school year. The majority of our All-In Student Support Assistants are motivated to pursue higher learning opportunities, with the hope of staying with or returning to Seneca as a Teacher, Therapist, or Data Evaluator. Additionally, many of our Student Support Assistants have followed up with Career Fair representatives to further discuss their goals and plans for moving in that direction, which is AWESOME!!

​So, be on the lookout for our amazing Behavioral Team. They have some aspiring teachers and therapists on the rise. Some are looking forward to starting grad school Fall 2020 and others are exploring potential Universities for Fall 2021. As Eric Thomas said, “When you find your why, you find a way to make it happen.” 

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Clinical Strand Highlight @ Education for Change

The EFC Clinical Strand has had a busy first half of the school year. For our new clinicians, it was a process of learning all the ins and outs of the Clinical Intervention Specialist role: integrating into a new school site, developing a caseload, creating relationships with clients, caregivers and school partners, finding time to do documentation and finding time for self-care. For clinicians who returned to their sites, they built on continuity with clients and school partners while also adapting to ever evolving school-wide needs, a reminder that each school year is unique. Through it all, our Clinical Team’s consistency and commitment to our clients, their families and capacity building with school partners has been outstanding. Their work embodies the foundation of Unconditional Education and is truly inspiring to witness.

As we all know, data is one of the most powerful tools to inform, engage, and create opportunities for growth and also helps us make connections that lead to insights and improvements. Thus, Increasing progress monitoring efforts has been a huge focal point this year for the Clinical Team,  incorporating quantitative data with qualitative data to deepen the narrative of client experiences in connection with our #datatellsastory launch.
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Whether connecting progress to a change in intervention or connecting a step back with a new stressor and then adjusting it, the ultimate goal is to track progress and share it meaningfully with clients and all stakeholders involved. The first months have been a learning process of navigating data collecting systems, finding ways to incorporate progress monitoring into already busy schedules, and writing meaningful goals that can be realistically tracked but with great momentum, the Clinical Strand has taken on this work head on and are looking forward to incorporating progress monitoring more seamlessly into future collaboration opportunities! Way to go team!
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Blog Post Written By: Toshia Mears, Director of School Partnerships
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California’s Medicaid Waiver 2020: An opportunity to strengthen care by reducing requirements for mental health diagnosis

1/22/2020

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In 2020 California will renew its Medicaid waiver and this revision has the potential to impact the provision of mental and behavioral health services for years to come. A Medicaid Waiver is a provision in Section 1115 of the federal Social Securities Act that allows states to provide services to residents who may not be eligible under the basic Medicaid rules.  Because of this provision, states can use Medicaid funds for new or innovative programs and increase access to care for underserved groups. The current debate will define the criteria for these expanded programs and set the foundation for many of the regulations that impact practice. 

There are a number of critical points being debated as a part of this reform effort, but one that is of particular interest, given its direct alignment with Unconditional Education is the discussion related to just how children can gain access to mental and behavioral health care. Under the current system, a client must receive a diagnosis of a mental health disorder in order to be “opened” or receive ongoing sessions with a therapist funded through MediCal. A diagnosis, representing a cluster of symptoms, indicates that treatment is medically necessary. While this determination of “medical necessity” seems like a clear-cut distinction, how it plays out in practice is substantially more nuanced, complex, and can have problematic consequences for both individuals and our larger system of care. Loosening the restrictions around this provision and allowing therapists to serve clients without first providing a formal diagnosis would provide an opportunity to:

Stop problems before they start. 
For far too many children who have faced multiple stressors in under-resourced systems the point of diagnosis comes only after a critical level of challenge has been reached. Children are referred to care only once they are already presenting acute symptoms impacting their daily functioning and success at school. Increasing the flexibility with which therapeutic services can be provided would open new opportunities to focus on prevention and early intervention and increase access to care for families who utilize MediCal.  

Reduce the stigmatization of mental health care. 
Currently, diagnosis must occur early in the relationship between the client, caregiver and therapist and requires that early discussions focus on about what’s “wrong” with the child. This required entry point stands in deep contrast to what is otherwise a belief in providing a strengths-based approach to care. While sometimes the establishment of a diagnosis is a useful tool for determining course of treatment, it can also be barrier that prevents families from accessing services for fear of being labeled as “mentally ill”. Further, the criteria of a diagnosis requires a clinician to pathologize many of the normal ups and downs of wellbeing and responses to stress that families experience over time in order to provide needed support. Increased flexibility in accessing MediCal has the potential to reduce the stigmatization that can come with receiving mental health services and support the cultivation of a client’s strengths and protective factors from the start of care. 

Promote equity. 
Beyond the issues of accessing care above, there are problematic challenges with the establishment of a diagnosis in and of itself. There’s a growing body of research to demonstrate that poor children of color are more likely to receive diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and less likely to receive diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) than their more affluent white peers, even when other factors, such as the prevalence of trauma, were accounted for. While similar in symptomology, these two diagnoses carry vastly different social meanings and can indicate largely different trajectories for a client’s care.  Patterns of diagnosis that follow predictable and disproportionate lines across race and class indicate the ways in which unmitigated bias continue reinforce the oppressive systems that impact Medicare recipients. Reducing the emphasis on diagnosis, and instead focusing on client wellbeing, would promote a more equitable approach.

While there is still much to be determined in the development of California’s proposed waiver it is exciting to engage on this important discussion. To follow this discussion and the others that are a part of the Waiver debate follow along at MediCal: A Healthier California for All.

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Blog Post Written By: Robin Detterman, Executive Director of School Partnerships
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A Hopeful Future - Resetting Behavioral Interventions in Seattle Schools

1/29/2018

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As in many school districts across the United States, Seattle schools have historically struggled to address disproportionality in disciplinary action. Most people in the education field are familiar with the consequences of this disproportionality: increased drop-out rates, lower academic achievement, and increased likelihood of involvement with the criminal justice system. For elementary students, exclusionary discipline can often be traced back to a common source—the perception that behaviors are disrupting the classroom learning environment. When teachers exhaust in-class interventions, students are often referred to administrators. These repeated referrals oftentimes result in suspensions.

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Seneca approached this problem through the lens of hope: hope that the momentum building within Seattle Public Schools around disproportionality could lead to systematic change, and hope inspired by district leaders who believed in Seneca’s ability to play a vital role in the process. In the 2016-2017 school year, Seneca was given the opportunity to place three full-time staff members at an elementary school in South Seattle. In partnership with innovative SPS district and school leaders, one of the new Seneca positions evolved into what is now called a “Reset Counselor.”
Rooted in the Unconditional Education model, the Reset Counselor’s job is to address student behaviors which “bubble up” into Tier II and III. Instead of making an office referral or sending a student to the principal, classroom teachers summon mental health trained Seneca staff to help a student “reset.” Students are accompanied outside of the classroom (ideally remaining in close proximity to the room) to go through four loosely defined steps:

  1. Recovery: If a student is escalated or unable to engage with Seneca staff, they are provided a quiet, neutral activity for a short period of time (e.g. drawing, taking a short, accompanied walk).
  2. Reflection: Seneca staff create space for students to talk about their perception of the behavior, acknowledging and asking questions. This step often involves completing a “reflection sheet,” on which students can write or draw.
  3. Restoration: Seneca staff often facilitate brief restorative check-ins between students, or between staff and students.
  4. Reintegration: Seneca staff accompany students back into the classroom, remaining with the students until they are back on track.
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The hope behind the Reset Counselor position came to fruition- the school experienced a significant decline in office referrals and suspensions. Seneca staff began to develop meaningful relationships with students in need of reoccurring resets, and data collected over time showed a decrease in both frequency and duration of reset occurrences. Through this approach, the school was able to maximize in-class time for students and substantially reduce exclusionary discipline.
Recently there has been even more reason to be hopeful in Seattle. Seattle Public Schools have made huge strides in reducing disproportionality, though there is much work left to be done. Seneca is proud to be a key part of this effort, currently staffing five full-time Reset Counselors at elementary and middle schools across South Seattle. 

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Blog Post Written By:
Lihi Rosenthal, Executive Director of Washington Programs

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BEHAVIORAL STRAND UPDATE: Desegregation in Schools: How Can We Have an Effect on Change?

9/28/2016

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In the midst of all schools trying to cut the achievement gap by half, we often forget what it takes to do this work. A podcast from This American Life, titled “The Problem We All Live With”, includes an interesting discussion about the achievement gap and the desegregation that happens when trying give access to students of color so that everyone is on the same leveling playing field.

“Racial segregation has come back to public education with a vengeance.” - Jonathan Kozol

After listening to this podcast, I hope it has evoked some type of feeling around this topic and are willing to share. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment to start the conversation about desegregation in your life and in our schools.

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Blog post written by:
Darrell Burns, Assistant Director of Behavioral Intervention

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Behavioral Strand Update: VISUAL PROCESSING: MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD AROUND US

3/24/2016

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What is visual processing? This is often a question I get during an IEP meeting when sharing psycho-educational results for students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). As a school psychologist, it’s a term I talk about often, but I realize that is not the case for everyone. Visual processing in simplistic terms is the process of making sense of information taken in through the eyes. In other words, it’s the way a person’s brain makes sense of and interprets what they see in the world around them. Visual processing allows our students to identify what they see and then derive meaning. In most cases our brains are programmed to adequately interpret the size and orientation, perceive distance, and discriminate between similarities and differences in an object or shape. It’s when our student’s brains misinterpret this information that a problem may occur. 

For student’s struggling with visual processing, it is likely that it will show up academically in spelling, mathematics, and reading. For example, the difficulties may result in recognizing previously learned information, remembering letters and numbers, difficulty discriminating between letter such as b, d, p, q, and mathematical concepts related to size, magnitude or position, and  mistaking words with similar letters (i.e. eat, tea, ate). Keep in mind that for each student struggling with visual processing difficulties, the areas of need may include each of the above areas of difficulty or only some, each student’s needs will be unique and require individualized support. Additionally, be clear that visual processing is not related to poor vision or a visual impairment. Visual processing is not about how clearly one see’s, but how well the brain interprets what is seen.


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Visual discrimination is the ability of the student to discriminate dominant features of an object. This may include position or an object, shape or color. Keep in mind that visual discrimination, figure ground, and closure problems may result in a person confusing words with similar beginnings or endings and even entire words.

Spatial relationships is 
the ability to perceive positions of objects in relation to other objects such as figure reversals or rotations. Student with these issues have difficulty telling where objects are in space. That includes how far things are from them and from each other. It also includes objects and characters described on paper or in a spoken narrative. Student may also have a tough time reading maps and judging time.

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Visual figure ground is the ability to identify and object when there is a complex background or with surrounding objects. Student with this type may not be able to pull out a shape or character from its background. They may have trouble finding a specific piece of information on a page when reading.

Visual closure is the ability to identify a whole figure when pieces are missing. Students with these issues have difficulty identifying an object when only parts are visible. They may not recognize a truck if it’s missing wheels. Or a person in a drawing that is missing a facial feature. Students may also have great difficulty with spelling because they can’t recognize a word if a letter is missing.

Visual memory is the ability to recognize an item shortly after it has been removed. Students with difficulty recalling what they’ve seen may struggle with reading and spelling. They may also have trouble remembering what they’ve read and using a calculator or keyboard.

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Visual sequential memory is the ability to perceive and remember a sequence of objects, letters, words, and other symbols in the same order as originally seen. Students with these issues have difficulty telling the order of symbols, words or images. They may struggle to write answers on a separate sheet or skip lines when reading. They also may reverse or misread letters, numbers and words.
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Visual form constancy 
is the ability to recognize objects as they change size, shape, or orientation. Students with difficulties in this area may struggle to recognize that a picture is the same as a real object, misperceive size, height, width, distance of an object, and be unable to recognize everyday objects when item is in a different size (i.e. scissors).  

For strategies and resources to support students with visual processing difficulties check out:
  • At a Glance: Classroom Accommodations for Visual Processing Issues
  • Visual Processing Disorder: How does this affect learning?
  • Visual Processing Disorder (Strategies for Different Age Groups)
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Blog post written by:
Meka Tull, School Psychologist and Interim Director of School Partnerships

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