As we wrap up the season of Fall, I’d like to highlight Rosemary Elementary School in Campbell, CA. Rosemary Elementary is one of the five schools we serve in the South Bay Area. Rosemary serves upwards of 500 students in grades Transitional Kindergarten (TK) to 5th grade. The staff at Rosemary are dedicated to providing a nurturing school environment with engaging instruction that prepares students for success. Rosemary aims to develop the intellectual and emotional capacity of all students so they may live a fulfilling life and approach challenges with a growth mindset. Coming back into a full school year from shelter in place, this dedication from teachers and staff is more important than ever.
Our partnership is focused on supporting the school in a few different areas this year.
First, our small team of 5 awesome Seneca staff work diligently in supporting Rosemary staff with trauma-informed tools and equity-based lens that are needed to envelop all students in a welcoming and safe environment. This includes providing teachers with specific interventions and tools that students with high needs can access, such as utilizing bouncy bands on chairs, modeling appropriate ways for students to use sensory tools in class, or even utilizing guided mindfulness exercises throughout the school day. By incorporating teachers into this learning process with students, we can create a plan to gradually release reliance of outside agencies and build the efficacy of teachers.
Additionally, we are working to strengthen the Tier 1 and 2 Behavioral Support systems in place. As we exit the virtual world where “mute all” was only a click away, we now begin to have student areas of growth brought loudly and boldly before us. Using weekly “Office Hours,” we support teachers who have clarifying questions or request Thought Partners around how to support students in the classroom. Not only does this help ensure all teachers have a space to go and share what may be worrying them, but it also creates an opportunity to build stronger tool banks for teachers the next time they encounter similar behaviors or needs for students.
Lastly, our partnership is focusing on building on existing Coordination of Services Team (COST). We work with the Rosemary team to evaluate their protocols, documentation, goal setting, and interventions in their referral process. This includes making space for conversations that unpack current practices through an equity lens. We strive to explore innovative, student-centered approaches. This foundational work is rooted in the goal of correcting the disproportionate number of students of color being referred to highly restrictive services. By working on these areas, we hope to support Rosemary in fulfilling its vision of providing a safe, healthy, and rigorous learning environment that develops the social, emotional and academic needs of the whole child.
This is a school year filled with opportunities of growth and new possibilities on the horizon!
Blog Post Written By: Tatiana Toscano, Assistant Director of School Partnerships
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