Source: Sally Swanson Architects, Inc .
J.O. Ford Elementary School is a public TK- 6th grade school in Richmond, California. Seneca’s Unconditional Education has been partnering with Ford since the beginning of this school year. We have been supporting the school as they develop their vision and beliefs around Ford’s impact on students and the community. There have already been many success stories on both a macro and micro level at Ford, and we look forward to creating many more.
Our Culture and Climate team has been hard at work creating school-wide interventions. We have successfully created a behavior matrix of expected behavior. During Passport to Expectations Week, classes ventured to all different areas of the school to learn what was expected and receive their cougar paw stamp! Teachers and staff are already looking forward to starting off next school year with the same activity. Students know exactly how to Show Respect, Make Good Decisions, and Fix Problems all around the school and...Wow! They are doing it! Cougar Pride Tickets have become a highlight for both students and staff as we see the benefits of acknowledging and awarding students for positive behavior. When you walk into the lunchroom, you may notice students voluntarily cleaning up the area around their table. They are working to keep Ford clean and helping to earn their class the Golden Dust Pan - a dust pan made out of real fake gold!
There have also been many small successes as students enter and exit our Student Success Team Process. Teachers and staff have participated in multiple trauma-informed education trainings and a workshop on creating calming spaces in the classroom. Jose*, a first grader, had a very difficult time in his kindergarten year and ended up spending the end of the year doing a study-from-home program. He is bright and eager to learn. In first grade, he quickly graduated from his academic intervention group, but continued to struggle with regulating his emotions and controlling his body. His teacher reached out Seneca very early at the beginning of the school year and we started documenting interventions. Jose’s teacher has done a fabulous job creating a strong relationship with him and his family. The parent and teacher communicate daily with a notebook. In addition, all staff that work with Jose have been trained on how he best responds to redirections. We noticed that Jose struggles most after transitioning from recess. A fifth grade student, who graduated from the social skills program, Calm Club, mentors Jose and meets him by the door to help him transition in while practicing the calming skills they have learned. Jose’s teacher has a signal and routine for him to use his calming box and knows Jose’s signals when he needs a break outside of the classroom. Jose continues to meet with the Seneca First Grade Calm Club and is excited about learning new skills. Jose is finishing his first grade school year with pride. He has made friends and enjoys being in his class and, we have seen a drastic reduction in Office Discipline Referrals!
Please feel free to stop by at J.O. Ford, and see how the School and Seneca’s Unconditional Education are partnering to make these and many more success stories happen.
* Student's name changed for privacy
Our Culture and Climate team has been hard at work creating school-wide interventions. We have successfully created a behavior matrix of expected behavior. During Passport to Expectations Week, classes ventured to all different areas of the school to learn what was expected and receive their cougar paw stamp! Teachers and staff are already looking forward to starting off next school year with the same activity. Students know exactly how to Show Respect, Make Good Decisions, and Fix Problems all around the school and...Wow! They are doing it! Cougar Pride Tickets have become a highlight for both students and staff as we see the benefits of acknowledging and awarding students for positive behavior. When you walk into the lunchroom, you may notice students voluntarily cleaning up the area around their table. They are working to keep Ford clean and helping to earn their class the Golden Dust Pan - a dust pan made out of real fake gold!
There have also been many small successes as students enter and exit our Student Success Team Process. Teachers and staff have participated in multiple trauma-informed education trainings and a workshop on creating calming spaces in the classroom. Jose*, a first grader, had a very difficult time in his kindergarten year and ended up spending the end of the year doing a study-from-home program. He is bright and eager to learn. In first grade, he quickly graduated from his academic intervention group, but continued to struggle with regulating his emotions and controlling his body. His teacher reached out Seneca very early at the beginning of the school year and we started documenting interventions. Jose’s teacher has done a fabulous job creating a strong relationship with him and his family. The parent and teacher communicate daily with a notebook. In addition, all staff that work with Jose have been trained on how he best responds to redirections. We noticed that Jose struggles most after transitioning from recess. A fifth grade student, who graduated from the social skills program, Calm Club, mentors Jose and meets him by the door to help him transition in while practicing the calming skills they have learned. Jose’s teacher has a signal and routine for him to use his calming box and knows Jose’s signals when he needs a break outside of the classroom. Jose continues to meet with the Seneca First Grade Calm Club and is excited about learning new skills. Jose is finishing his first grade school year with pride. He has made friends and enjoys being in his class and, we have seen a drastic reduction in Office Discipline Referrals!
Please feel free to stop by at J.O. Ford, and see how the School and Seneca’s Unconditional Education are partnering to make these and many more success stories happen.
* Student's name changed for privacy
Blog post written by:
Jenna Evans, UE Coach
Jenna Evans, UE Coach
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