Kindness week serves as a reminder to everyone in the school community of the importance of treating others with compassion and respect, not just during the designated week but every day. By dedicating specific time and effort to celebrating Kindness, Washington Elementary not only enhances students’ social and emotional development but also strengthens the bonds within the school community. It cultivates a culture where acts of kindness are not just encouraged but celebrated, reinforcing the notion that everyone has a role to play in creating a positive culture and climate.
Our Unconditional Education Partnership at Washington Elementary is built on the foundational values of love, compassion, and joy. We believe that Kindness is a powerful tool for nurturing the well-being of everyone and is a significant step towards empowering our students to be the best versions of themselves. Kindness week serves as a reminder to everyone in the school community of the importance of treating others with compassion and respect, not just during the designated week but every day. By dedicating specific time and effort to celebrating Kindness, Washington Elementary not only enhances students’ social and emotional development but also strengthens the bonds within the school community. It cultivates a culture where acts of kindness are not just encouraged but celebrated, reinforcing the notion that everyone has a role to play in creating a positive culture and climate. At Washington Elementary school, Kindness week has become a tradition, and every year during the second week in February, the school organizes week-long activities and challenges for students to participate in class and during lunch/recess. Previous projects include making “Kindness Chains”, “Kindness Jars”, “Kindness Bingo”, and reading different books on kindness with discussion prompts. With the goal of bringing the entire school community together, the school organizes an art project that is installed in a common area. This year the art project was for each student to create a “Square on Kindness” with their buddy student sharing either their favorite Kindness quote, a colorful drawing, or sharing what kindness means to them. The squares were all combined to create a giant Kindness poster to display in the library. The culminating art project, the Kindness poster, symbolizes the collective commitment of the school community to uphold and promote kindness, respect, and empathy. Displaying this poster prominently in the library not only serves as a visual reminder of the values espoused by Washington Elementary but also inspires ongoing acts of kindness and reinforces the sense of belonging among students, teachers, and staff. Moreover, by involving students in planning and leading kindness activities, the school empowers them to take ownership of their school culture and climate and become active contributors. This not only boosts their self-esteem but also fosters leadership skills and a sense of responsibility towards others. Overall, Kindness week at Washington Elementary goes beyond just a week-long celebration; it embodies the school’s dedication to nurturing the well-being of its students and fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment where everyone can thrive. Through initiatives like Kindness week, Washington Elementary is laying the groundwork for a future generation that values empathy, compassion, and kindness in all aspects of life. Blog Bost By: Puja Satwani, Director of School Partnerships
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At Alhambra High School's Counseling Enriched Classroom, we believe that the connections you make and the emotions you feel can shape your behavior and your experience of the world. That's why we work hard to create a culture that values connections, inclusion, and positivity. Here are some of the specific things we do to uphold these values.
Blog Post By: Khomsai Ounniyom, Assistant Director of School Partnerships
At the heart of Unconditional Education are the relationships we build. A commitment for each and every student to feel supported, welcomed, connected and safe in their school community. However, it can be easy to lose hope and sight of this vision as we support school sites where the impact of violence is ongoing, and administrators and staff are managing crises on a daily basis. As of January 2024, it has been one year since Seneca began our partnership with Monroe Middle School. While it often takes more time to build our relationships and embed ourselves in a school community, the administrative team at Monroe Middle School, led by their principal Ruth Stephens Radle, has embraced us fully. She shines a light on the many challenges students and families face in the Monroe Middle School community and strives to improve upon the school climate and support for young people. For her this means- first and foremost - focusing on school staff’s relationships with the youth. Her commitment to relationship is exemplified by one impactful activity that I’d like to highlight as an inspiring practice– the dot activity. Ruth shares her inspiration to bring the 'dot activity' to Monroe Middle School came from Project Cornerstone, where their education director looked into the research about what drives resiliency in students. Not surprisingly, students who do well usually have at least one adult in their life they feel connected to and supported by. This is at the heart of what Seneca Family of Agencies believes as well, which makes our partnership a perfect match. At an all staff meeting in the beginning of the year, Ruth posts the names and pictures of all 700+ students from her middle school on the wall, divided by grade level. Each teacher is then asked to look at the faces of all the young students and place a yellow dot sticker to the left of a student’s photo if they have a relationship with the student in which the student would go to them for help if needed, and place a red dot sticker to the right of the student's picture if they have any worries about the student, whether it is academic, social- emotional, or behavioral concerns. Looking around the room you can immediately see a snapshot of how all the students are doing, as well as how the teachers feel about their relationships with the youth. Ruth shares that often the students who have a lot of red dots also have a lot of yellow dots. It is the students with no yellow dots that she is the most worried about. In the next meeting, Ruth engages her whole staff team to focus on the students with no yellow dots, asking each teacher to choose 3-4 students who they will intentionally reach out to in the next few weeks. This year Ruth shares she also provided teachers with specific, research-based strategies to choose from to engage with the students they have identified. For example, a strategy called the "2 x 10" focuses on engaging the student in a 2-minute conversation over 10 consecutive days, working on building a relationship and getting to know the student outside of the classroom. The Monroe Middle School's intervention team then focuses their efforts on the students who had 3 or more red dots, delving into other data measures to further determine what the risk/need is for each of those students and how to address those needs. This is now the 2nd year Ruth has had Monroe Middle School's teachers engage in the 'dot activity'. She shares there are still a lot of barriers to overcome - mostly in people's mindset about the importance of this activity and the amount of time needed to dedicate to it, but as Ruth quotes Rita Peterson's Ted Talk, "kids don't learn from teachers they don't like". Relationships are what is critically important to building students' resiliency and success, not only in education but also in life. Partnering with Ruth and Monroe Middle School is an exciting opportunity for us to join in the vision of expanding teacher's perspectives from being "hyper-focused" on certain students to seeing the connectedness and community-health across the entire student-body. Seneca’s Unconditional Education model truly values celebrating what's going well for children, families and schools, and the Dot Activity allows the whole school team to do just that. Additionally, Ruth's vision of collaboration emphasizes that it is not any one person's job to "carry it all". Working together we can have an accelerated impact on the lives of our students and "all lift this together". Just as Unconditional Education aims to help every student thrive, Ruth's vision is that all the adults at Monroe Middle School will see their part in eliminating barriers through coming together as a community. As Rita Peterson reminds us - "Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them." Blog Post By: Jennifer Lin, Clinical Supervisor
Located in Hayward, California, Cherryland Elementary School is a vital part of the Hayward Unified School District, catering to 903 students from kindergarten to sixth grade. The UE HEART (Hayward Empowering Advocacy and Radical Transformation) program provides a classroom environment enriched with counseling services to support the academic and personal growth of its students. One student in Cherryland’s counseling enriched classroom has expressed a keen interest in pursuing the CEO position at Seneca as their future career goal. In January, Leticia Galyean Seneca’s CEO visited the Cherryland counseling enriched classroom. During her time at Cherryland, Leticia was given a tour by the students and they also took the opportunity to ask her questions about her job. As a special treat, Leticia was able to witness a piano performance by the same student who wants to be Seneca’s CEO. At the end of the visit the students gave Leticia thank you cards for visiting their classroom. Blog Post By: Stacey Buenavista, Director of School Partnerships
This school year we’ve established a new partnership with Markham Elementary, located in the heart of Oakland, CA. Within this partnership, we have expanded our traditional clinical outpatient model, which has primarily been a school-based clinician providing individual and/or group therapy to students, to include a Student Support Assistant that provides behavioral and social emotional push-in support on campus in conjunction with the clinician. Coupling individual therapy with in-class behavioral support has been a very effective holistic approach and has been very well received by our partners. Our clinician and SSA at Markham are our newest Seneca Dream team and they are doing great work!!! Together, they have introduced Seneca, our UE model and our program’s values to the Markham community while building strong collaborative relationships along the way! We conducted a Mid-Year Partnership survey back in December to hear directly from our Markham leadership and staff on how the new partnership is going thus far and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive! 100% of the school leadership, teachers and school staff who participated agreed or strongly agreed with the survey questions in all areas of professionalism, collaboration, effectiveness, and communication! “They are very helpful, and the students really enjoy working with them. They are also a great resource for staff.” -Markham staff “The team has adapted to meet the needs of families/students on our campus. Team is dedicated to student wellness and is an integral part of the school day.” -Markham staff Creating an inviting space In UE we believe that “everything speaks” and we strive to create safe therapeutic student spaces that are welcoming and inviting to the community we serve. Students at Markham have named the Seneca portable “The Aquarium” due to its aquatic theme and many have stated that it is their favorite classroom on campus because it’s the most fun! The goal of our staff when they moved in was to create a space in which all of the students feel comfortable in. The Seneca team also wanted to be well integrated into the school community and didn’t want to the students we serve to feel isolated or “othered” so they wanted the Aquarium to be accessible to the whole school community. To accomplish this, the team has worked with Markham’s Principal to implement “Principal treat Fridays” as a school-wide incentive in which students can use their Markham bucks to enter a raffle. Each week, raffle winners get to come hang out in the Seneca Aquarium and have a treat! This is just one illustration of how the Markham Seneca staff have worked to fully integrate and be of service to the entire school community. It has been so wonderful to see this brand-new school partnership develop and grow so much already this year and we look forward to continued growth and partnership at Markham and throughout OUSD. Shout out to the Markham staff for all of your work to help this first-year partnership develop and flourish! Blog Post By: Tiana Dudley, Director of School Partnerships
Children’s literature has become a personal matter for me over the past few years and serves as a window to the world, shaping young minds and fostering empathy, understanding, and a sense of identity. In today's diverse society, the importance of representation in children's literature cannot be overstated. When children see characters who look like them, come from similar backgrounds, or face comparable challenges, they feel seen, validated, and empowered. Reflecting Diversity: One of the primary reasons representation in children's literature is crucial is because it reflects the diverse world we live in. Children come from various cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds, and they deserve to see themselves represented in the books they read. When children encounter characters who share their heritage or experiences, it validates their identities and fosters a sense of pride in their cultural heritage. Exposure to diverse characters helps children develop empathy and understanding towards people who are different from them. By reading about characters from different backgrounds, children learn to appreciate and respect diversity, which is essential in promoting inclusivity and combating prejudice. Building Empathy and Understanding: Children's literature has the power to transport readers into the lives of others, fostering empathy and understanding. When children encounter characters facing challenges or situations different from their own, it broadens their perspective and helps them develop empathy for others. For instance, a child reading about a character with a disability may gain a better understanding of the challenges people with disabilities face and develop empathy towards them. Moreover, representation in children's literature can help break down stereotypes and misconceptions. By portraying diverse characters in multifaceted roles, authors challenge stereotypes and show that people are more than just a single narrative. This, in turn, encourages children to question societal norms and embrace individuals for who they are rather than predefined stereotypes. Fostering a Sense of Identity and Belonging: For children belonging to marginalized communities, seeing characters who share their identities and experiences can be transformative. Representation in children's literature helps validate their experiences and fosters a sense of belonging. When children see characters who look like them achieving great things, it instills a sense of possibility and reinforces their belief in their own capabilities. Representation can empower children to embrace their identities proudly and resist societal pressures to conform. By seeing diverse role models in literature, children are encouraged to celebrate their uniqueness and pursue their dreams, regardless of societal expectations. Final Thoughts: Representation in children's literature is essential for fostering empathy, understanding, and a sense of identity among young readers. By reflecting the diverse world we live in and providing children with characters they can relate to, children's literature plays a crucial role in shaping their worldview and promoting inclusivity. As community providers, educators, and parents/caregivers, it is our responsibility to ensure that children have access to literature that celebrates diversity and empowers them to embrace their identities fully. By doing so, we can create a more inclusive society where every child feels valued and represented. I encourage you to visit your local library, add a book to a Little Free Library, or read a children’s book yourself…they’re fun, I promise! Blog Post By: Daniel Perez, Director of School Partnerships
Our focus at Berkeley High School this year is to help our students build a strong community in and out of our classrooms. Every week, during life skills class, our students plan, shop, and cook a different meal. Not only do they learn about meal planning and budgeting, but they get to connect and learn about different cultures and foods. The unique thing about this year's cooking class is that we have students of all backgrounds participating, including students who would not have engaged with each other otherwise, making jokes and sharing stories about their lives. To make sure our students are also building bridges with the greater BHS community, the CEC co-lead a fall community lunch that included other students, community members, and school staff. The students took their time planning what they were going to contribute, budgeted, and took a big trip to Costco to buy all the supplies they needed. Then, they ended the fall season by building bridges with the community outside of campus by learning about Native American foods and supporting Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland, where they got a chance to have a meaningful conversation with a local organizer. We look forward to making more memories and can't wait to see what delicious food our students cook this semester! Blog Post Written By: Lucero Torres, Assistant Director of School Partnerships
Searles Elementary School is part of New Haven Unified School District and is located in the heart of Union City, CA. This year, there was a transition in principals, which provided our Seneca clinician, Maritza Moreno, an opportunity to connect with the new principal and reflect on Searles’ culture and community, share themes and needs that have emerged in recent years, and explore current needs and priorities for this school year that we could help support. Here are a few highlights of what Searles offers their students, families, and the larger community and how we’ve been able to partner with this school site. SEARLES STAFF: Searles' staff are collaborative, valued, and engaged partners in providing students with equitable and positive experiences and outcomes. Many staff at Searles have been in the community for generations and were once Searles students themselves. This really highlights the strong dedication and commitment that many folks raised in Union City have in giving back to their community. CONNECTION: Families and community members are engaged and informed partners in students’ educational experiences and outcomes. The school communicates with families in various ways, one of which being a monthly newsletter that shares the activities happening that month as well as resources for families. Maritza has been able to share mental-health related resources that have been included in these newsletters, which has been a great way for us to integrate into and offer support to the larger Searles community! COMMUNITY CAFÉ: At Searles, the family resource specialist hosts weekly Friday Community Cafes to bring the community together and offer a variety of presentations by various community organizations through New Haven School District partnerships. Maritza has been able to present on various mental-health related topics to support Searles’ families in best supporting their children with their overall well-being. SENECA PARTNERSHIP: Seneca has been in partnership with Searles for a number of years now, providing mental health services at all tiers. One Tier 3 support Maritza has been offering the past couple of years has been seasonal staff wellness workshops as this need emerged following the transition back to school post-pandemic. This fall, Maritza invited school staff to paint pumpkins during their lunch time, which provided an opportunity to socialize, build community, and engage in a fun and relaxing activity. Other activities Maritza has facilitated for staff include painting healing rocks and making sensory candles. This has been very appreciated by the Searles staff! Blog Post Written By: Mosaic & Pathways Team
Rainier Prep, a 5th – 8th school that opened its doors in the fall of 2015, made history as one of the first public charter schools in Washington state. Rainier Prep’s mission is to “prepare all of our students to excel at four year colleges and to become leaders in their communities.” They operate by a strong set of values and beliefs that focus on creating an inclusive, community-driven and strengths-based culture. Rainier Prep uses the acronym GUIDES to support their collective vision of empowering learners, changemakers, and advocates in the pursuit of an enriching, fulfilling, and lifelong educational experience. Their GUIDES values also ground how students, families, staff, and partners work together. They inform the choices we make towards creating a community where all can thrive. Seneca has been partnering with Rainier Prep since 2015 to provide a variety of different services including special education and student supports. Currently, we provide school psychology, occupational therapy and speech/language services to Rainier Prep. See what Seneca staff have to say about working at Rainier Prep: “I appreciate Rainier Prep's emphasis on highlighting diversity and different cultures. They incorporate learning about various populations into their curriculum and throughout the school day. For example, during Hispanic Heritage Month, they decorated their doors, played music from Hispanic artists during transitions, and had lessons focused on various Hispanic historical figures.” – Nic Huang, Seneca Occupational Therapist “The staff and teachers at Rainier Prep are so dedicated to using a strengths-based approach, which makes a huge difference in how the school views and engages students. I've seen this particularly highlighted in IEP meetings - students are typically present for their IEP meetings, and staff directly address the student and focus on the ways in which the student is working hard, the skills they're demonstrating, and how the staff/teachers will be supporting areas of growth. I think this helps the whole community feel very aligned and united in support of students and allows scholars to feel proud and confident. I can feel this confidence when I'm working with students!” – Grace Little, Seneca Speech Language Pathologist Rainier Prep’s value of engagement can be seen through sessions with students, where we infuse the student’s identity, joy and fun, and their treatment goals all in one place. Here’s what Seneca staff have to say about creating student-centered activities and what brings them joy when on campus at Rainier Prep: “With a student who is targeting pragmatics and communication breakdowns, we host a once a month coffee/cocoa cart where we solicit orders from teachers and make and deliver cocoa and coffee! This allows the student to practice skills we've been working on in speech therapy in a more environment, and provides a great opportunity to generalize those skills. Additionally, we've written letters to loved ones to target language goals, and in the upcoming semester two of my students are working together to make a "middle school manual" for new students to practice generating and editing their own written language.” – Grace, SLP “We have created shoe-tying videos, done sessions outside, and crafted emails to teachers with fun ideas for enrichment or fieldtrips.” – Nic, OT “Of course, I love working with students and often hearing about how much they enjoy their friends and teachers at Rainier Prep, but I think the most unique Rainier Prep joy moment is morning staff huddle. Three days a week at 8am, the entire staff (including admin, teachers, support staff, ops, and even the executive director) meet in a wide circle in a classroom for essential announcements, but first we start with "connections." Connections is a chance to connect with colleagues about anything and everything; topics range from what TV shows we're watching, recommendations on nearby hikes, and heated debates about the correct name of the mini-mart down the street. It's hard to describe the vibe without being there, but for me it's a joyful time to connect with and learn about my colleagues.” – Dr. Anna Casey, Seneca School Psychologist With Rainier Prep’s commitment to ensuring all students grow and access services they need, students are able to learn and meet their educational goals. Some ways Rainier Prep staff support scholars include:
“I think about one student who came into the year very withdrawn – they were using nonverbal responses primarily with unfamiliar people and adults, and, when prompted, sharing that school felt difficult and they didn't enjoy it. But it was clear that that the whole team was focused on finding out what worked best for them individually, and sharing that knowledge with everyone else who supported the student, and that has led to so much growth. Now they are raising their hand in class to answer questions, saying hi to students in the hall, and making great growth.” It's clear that Rainier Prep and Seneca staff are all in when it comes to supporting students and ensuring each one is given individualized support, services and encouragement to make progress and achieve their goals. Blog Post Written By: Gini Sanders, Director of Specialized Services
For this week’s blog post, I’d like to introduce our newest Los Angeles partner school: Aspire Slauson Academy! Slauson Academy is one of eleven Aspire Public Charter Schools in the Los Angeles region. Opened in 2011, Slauson serves 300 students, TK through 6th grade, with a mission to provide all students an exceptional education that will allow them to excel inside and outside the classroom. Our Unconditional Education partnership with Aspire Slauson Academy is funded through the CA Department of Education’s California Community Schools Partnership Program. We partnered with the Slauson team last year to write the grant that will fund our work starting this year and at least through the 2026-27 school year. Our UE Coach, Lauren Kennedy, has had a busy fall semester, partnering with Slauson’s team to situate the new role on campus through direct support and the launch of several new initiatives. Some of these highlights include:
Slauson’s leadership has quickly proved to be incredibly aligned to UE’s goals and mission, and we truly see the work this fall as building a solid foundation for years of partnership to come. We are thankful for Aspire Slauson as partners and hosts and are looking forward to the work ahead! Blog Post Written By: Sean Murphy, Director of School Partnerships
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