At Longwood Elementary in Hayward, CA, the Counseling Enriched Classroom (CEC) has been a cornerstone of Hayward Unified School District’s (HUSD) special education offerings for over 18 years. Serving 3rd–6th grade students, this classroom provides a deeply supportive environment that integrates academic learning with social-emotional growth. At the heart of the program is Ms. Alvarez, a dedicated educator and former Seneca mental health counselor, who has spent more than a decade teaching in this setting. Her background in both education and mental health allows her to create a classroom that is structured, nurturing, and attuned to the complex needs of each student.

The CEC’s strength lies in its exceptional multidisciplinary team, including therapist Becky Raeta and four skilled Mental Health Counselors—Hafsa Desai, Kristine Guzman, Kristal Mejia Perez, and Karo Amanian. Together, they form a collaborative and compassionate unit that ensures each child receives individualized care. Some of their extensive work includes providing 1:1 continuous support for students with higher needs, offering weekly family therapy outside of school hours, and coordinating field trips and community outings that extend learning beyond the classroom. This holistic approach supports students’ growth not only academically, but also socially and emotionally, helping them build the tools needed for long-term success.
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A standout feature of the Longwood CEC is its robust partnership with general education teachers, allowing for meaningful and sustained mainstreaming opportunities. With careful planning and staff support, several students spend large portions of their day learning alongside their general education peers—building confidence, friendships, and academic skills in inclusive settings. This thoughtful integration highlights the CEC team’s commitment to equity, belonging, and the belief that all students can thrive when provided with the right support. The Longwood CEC stands as a model of what is possible when a school community works together to ensure every child is seen, supported, and celebrated.

Blog By: Alexandra Rutherford, Assistant Director of School Partnerships

​In the fall of 2024, we launched a new partnership with Alliance Smidt Tech High School, in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Bilingual Wellness Coach Jaz Ponce is the Seneca staff who has led the Compass Care program there ever since. From the outset, Jaz has been deeply integrated as part of the team at Smidt Tech, and she has been continuously appreciative of and thankful for the alignment she has with the compassionate, courageous, committed school staff team. Early in the partnership, Assistant Principal Oliver Aguirre commented that Jaz had become such an integral part of the school team that at times he forgot she worked for an ‘outside agency.’ Jaz has stepped up in many ways at the school. She goes above and beyond in the support she provides to the students and families on her caseload. But beyond that, she leans in to find unique ways to complete the school at large and plays a central role in school-wide initiatives. For example, when the school cheer squad needed a coach last winter, Jaz stepped up. She has coordinated multiple celebratory events to lift up student excellence and honor their cultures. More recently, she stepped up to co-design and co-lead an initiative to promote student belonging, build stronger relationships among students, and strengthen positive school culture. All these are examples of the way our Unconditional Education continuum of programs strive to ‘maximize secondary benefit’ through our school partnership programs. And when it comes to the central focus and key deliverable in her role (improving school attendance for students who’ve been chronically absent in the past), Jaz’s results speak for themselves. Here’s the amazing impact she had in her first cycle of this school year:

Recently Jaz, along with Project Manager Kenosha Collins, and Director of School Partnerships Sean Murphy presented about the Compass Care model to reduce chronic absenteeism at the Wellness Together Conference in San Diego. We’re proud and grateful to have talented, passionate individuals such as Jaz, Kenosha, and Sean out there sharing our work and inspiring others in the field to adopt holistic, relationship-based, action-oriented approaches to supporting students and families. Excited to continue witnessing and celebrating the positive transformations Jaz is bringing about at Smidt Tech on both the individual and school-wide levels. ​

Blog By: Jason Keppe, Director of School Partnerships

We are thrilled to highlight our Walters CEC Middle School classroom located in Fremont. This classroom is currently serving students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade and is one of the 2 schools that we serve in the Fremont Unified School District. Our amazing former Seneca teacher Vina Collantes has created a safe and fun environment for our students to learn and navigate some of the challenges that come with middle school.

Our clinician Sierra Kindle provides one on one counseling, parent counseling, group counseling, and classroom support. Sierra’s groups are a combination of fun activities and social skills lessons that the students have responded very well to. I had the pleasure of sitting in some of those groups and I am thrilled to see the community that Sierra has created with the students.
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Sam is our amazing classroom counselor that has been doing a great job at holding it down as we are currently hiring a second counselor for this site. Sam is a great support to the students and has been able to continue the fun incentives and activities for the students with the support of the rest of the team. The classroom has been able to support students in mainstreaming to some core subjects and is constantly encouraging students in engaging in other school activities such as trying out for the talent show or attending school dances.
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We have received positive feedback from the school program specialist on how well our team works with our clients and the engaging environment that the team has created. In Constellation we are thankful to have such a strong and creative team. 

Blog By: Mariana Aranda, Assistant Director of School Partnerships

​At Longfellow Middle School, we're thrilled to spotlight an innovative initiative at one of our partner schools. Under the leadership of therapist Jennifer Valdivia, we've launched "Mental Health Mondays" to foster a supportive environment for students. This was Jennifer’s idea she brought forward to me in supervision after seeing a need for a larger school impact on destigmatizing mental health. We took her idea to the principal who loved it and held a meeting with us and the rest of her administration team to work out the logistics to launch it this 2025-2026 school year. Jennifer felt empowered to share her idea and came prepared with her own thoughts and plans for implementation. Each month holds a theme that she has scoped and sequenced with a lead counselor at Longfellow.

​Together they set-up the table, bring in resources and engage students during lunch once a month. Her idea aims to destigmatize mental health by offering all the students access to resources, educational materials, and calming tools like fidgets to take away to help students manage anxiety in the classroom. Jennifer's monthly Mental Health Monday sessions have been met with enthusiasm and positive feedback from students and staff alike. We're excited to continue this journey and look forward to seeing the lasting impact on the school community and extending this idea to our other school sites. 

Blog By: Eidit Choochage, Director of School Partnerships

​Nestled on the beautiful, close-knit campus of Redwood High School in Castro Valley, our Counseling Enriched Classroom (CEC) is making a real difference for students who are working hard on credit recovery and re-engaging in their education.
 
This special classroom is led by a dynamic and dedicated team:
 

• Yvonne Rogers, a familiar face to the Seneca community, is now entering her second year as a district teacher at Redwood.
• Evelyn, a Mental Health Counselor (MHC) in her fourth year with Seneca, brings consistency and experience to the classroom.
• Vivek, in his second year with Seneca, joins as an MHC bringing fresh energy and creativity to the team.

Krystal, a seasoned Seneca clinician and supervisor, is stepping into a new role as the classroom’s therapist, supporting students’ social-emotional needs

​Though newly established as a unit, this team has already found creative ways to connect with students and families. Attendance has historically been a challenge in this program, but this year the Redwood CEC has started off strong—engaging both students who are present in the classroom and those who need extra encouragement to participate.

The team is drawing on WRAP-style supports to meet students where they are. This means you might see them coordinating with families to host a “pop-up” at a student’s home to encourage attendance, or even arranging transportation for students who have struggled to get to school. They’re also keeping things fun and motivating with classroom incentives—like last year’s much-anticipated reward: earning a classroom pet (yes, a snake!).

More than just a classroom, the Redwood CEC is a space of tranquility, tough love, and fun. It’s a place where students who once avoided school are rediscovering their path, making progress toward graduation, and finding community along the way.

This work is possible thanks to the strong partnership with Redwood’s site principal, Mr. Kahn, as well as the broader district community. With their collaboration and support, the Redwood CEC team continues to explore creative, meaningful ways to help students thrive both inside and outside of the classroom.
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The Redwood High School CEC is more than a credit recovery program—it’s a launching pad for students to re-engage, grow, and succeed.

Blog by: Anthone Jackson, Director of School Partnerships

We’re happy to highlight our rebooted collaboration with Latitude 38.7 High School, part of our partnership with Education for Change.  Located in Oakland’s Fruitvale district, Latitude serves students from all parts of Oakland and offers multiple opportunities for project based learning as adolescents prepare for early adulthood.  Seneca partnered previously with Latitude and after a 5 year hiatus, we have 2 full time clinicians and 1 full time Wellness Coach on site.

Our clinicians mainly provide Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) for students with IEPs while also providing a variety of support to all students: risk assessments, wellness check ins during lunch and tier 2 counseling.  Our Wellness Coach was added to provide greater support, via individual check ins and group interventions for students in need who don’t have an IEP.  Bringing all of this to a new partnership requires lots of collaboration to integrate with pre-established systems and staff.  Latitude started the year with 2 internal clinicians and we collaborated on multiple levels so that the clinicians, Seneca and Latitude, are united as a clinical team even as the team composition has changed throughout the year.  The Wellness Coach role was new this year and required some “inventing the wheel” collaboration to define what the role looks at Latitude and get into a flow.

We look forward to continued collaboration next year as we add another Seneca clinician to the team.  Whatever new needs, challenges, opportunities emerge, we’ll have a strong foundation to build from.

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Blog By: Mark Thibedeau, Clinical Supervisor

​Also check out the Self-Care Board that Anna added on campus in the Fall 2024!

Blog By: Karina Gonzalez. Clinical Supervisor

Olympus High School located in downtown Tacoma, WA is one of Seneca Washington’s longest partnerships. Starting in 2015, Seneca began providing mental health and special education services to the Olympus community, who is part of the Summit Public School network. This year, we had a unique opportunity to pilot a traditional ‘community-based’ program into our school-based work with Olympus proving that integrated care of youth increases accessibility of care.  Therapeutic Case Management (TCM) began in Washington as a behavioral program based off of similar principles as TBS. The program serves youth up to 18 with intensive case management and behavioral support. Counselor staff provide both individual and family services to their clients in home, at school or within the community. Typically, referrals to TCM are made by our region’s WISe team, Outpatient team or school-based teams. 
 
This school year, we were able to embed a TCM Counselor, Bri Rumph, into Olympus High School. Bri integrated into the school and quickly became a safe person for students to visit for a quick check-in, support with resource finding or helping advocate for themselves in the classroom. Beyond Bri’s Tier 1 and 2 support, Bri also holds a small caseload of youth for more individualized TCM services.  
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Each youth enrolled in TCM completes a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and creates a treatment plan based on the identified needs. Bri can work individually with the students on her caseload while they are at school, while also scheduling family support sessions in the home or community. Students may also seek Bri’s support in attending appointments with other treatment providers or community support. This integrated model seeks to bridge the gap of community-based providers not always being able to access youth when they are at school. And as providers we know that school is one place many youth spend much of their time.  ​

Blog by: Alex Mehling, Regional Executive Director

In today’s rapidly changing world, education and mental health support are inseparable pillars that support young people’s growth and well-being. As we become more aware of the complex challenges facing students—especially those attending alternative high schools—collaborative efforts to address both academic and emotional needs are essential. One such partnership that is paving the way for positive change is Seneca’s longstanding partnership with OUSD’s Emiliano Zapata Street Academy. Together, we are not just working to improve academic outcomes but are also addressing the deep, often hidden, emotional and social struggles that students face. By fostering collaboration, social justice, and professional development, this partnership is making a lasting impact on the lives of students.​

Street Academy serves students who face unique challenges, such as trauma, mental health issues, socio-economic hardship, and a variety of other barriers that make traditional education a struggle. For these students, having access to mental health support isn’t just a luxury—it’s essential for their personal and academic growth. This is where Seneca comes into play. By partnering with Street Academy, the agency brings in specialized knowledge, resources, and services that complement the educational curriculum. Together, we create an environment that recognizes the importance of emotional well-being alongside academic achievement.

In practical terms, this collaboration looks like Seneca’s therapist working directly with students on an individual basis, offering counseling, therapy, and crisis management. She also participates on the CARE team, which triages students’ needs and helps them access supports at school and in the community. It has also involved group sessions that focus on social-emotional learning, coping mechanisms, and mindfulness techniques. In years past, therapists have facilitated groups for graduating seniors to help them navigate life after high school. These services, deeply integrated into the school environment, help students navigate their personal challenges while remaining focused on their education.

This year, a critical aspect of our partnership is its focus on professional development. We recognize that to create lasting change, educators and mental health professionals must continuously evolve in their practices. Our program offers a menu of social/emotional and mental health trainings geared towards school professionals, including TIE (Trauma Informed Education). The initial TIE training was a resounding success, and the school has asked for additional trainings in the upcoming school year!

The longstanding partnership and deep collaboration between Street Academy and Seneca has a ripple effect that extends beyond the walls of the school. Students who receive the academic and mental health support they need are more likely to graduate, pursue higher education, or enter the workforce with a greater sense of confidence and well-being. By demonstrating the power of collaboration between schools and mental health agencies, this partnership provides a blueprint for how to approach the complex, interconnected issues of education and mental health. It serves as a reminder that true support for students goes beyond just academics—it’s about nurturing their emotional, social, and mental well-being so they can reach their full potential.

Blog By: Amy Blair, Clinical Supervisor

In the last year, UE Constellation – which serves partners San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, and Fremont – doubled in size. More cases? More staff? More problems? Perhaps. More grit? More resilience? More celebrations? Definitely.

Washington Manor Middle School, tucked away in the city of San Leandro, began with a rather lackluster start. In the fall of 2024, the counseling enriched classroom (CEC) welcomed exactly one student through its doors. Despite the low enrollment – and the notable absence of permanent teacher – our Seneca staff were determined to build a program that would meet it’s young scholars where they are in order to help guide them to where they want to be.
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The Washington Manor team is made up of our clinician, Sierra K., and two new mental health counselors, Judith H., and Whisper T. Our clinician has seen the silver lining of a small caseload and worked to create a therapeutic space that reflects the needs of the students, while simultaneously inspiring them to begin exploring the endless possibilities that lie ahead of them.

This team focused on providing continual counseling support, creating and maintaining a safe space for students to practice self-regulation and autonomy, as well as supporting a small rotation of guest teachers to implement consistent curriculum. During those first few months, we were extremely grateful to the Washington Manor administrators, Nicole Sandoval, school principal, and Andy Waranoff, assistant principal. Mrs. Sandoval and Mr. Waranoff not only expressed their interest in getting to know our growing group of students but also made intentional efforts to welcome UE Constellation into the ‘Wolf Pack.'

In December of 2024, the Washington Manor CEC was beyond elated to welcome an incredible long term guest teacher, Erik Guiterrez. His addition to the classroom helped to round out our incredible team, improving student participation and even managing to increase student time in the general education setting. These changes allowed the mental health counselors to bring the amazing work they do into more mainstream classes, which in turn, has served to create stronger relationships within the Washington Manor community.
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As the CEC continues to grow, this collaboration stands as an inspiring example of how strong partnerships can create meaningful change for students and foster a sense of community and support for everyone involved. With hard work and dedication, this team is setting the foundation for brighter futures, one student at a time.

Blog By: Tatiana Toscano, Assistant Director of School Partnerships