California Safe and Supportive Schools

The Power of Authentic Collaborative Leadership: The Transformation of Bassett Community School 

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The Power of Authentic Collaborative Leadership: The Transformation of Bassett Community School 

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This session takes you through a journey of understanding how trust and relationships through authentic collaborative leadership transforms schools into a place where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development. Through a unique model of community schools led by the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), Bassett High School shares how they have taken elements of the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) framework to create an environment where educational partners are empowered and given a voice. Come learn about how one community school has moved to authentically engage their school community to improve student outcomes.

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Presenters:

Hector Vasquez, Principal, Bassett High School, Bassett Unified School District

Hector Vasquez is an experienced, highly dedicated, bilingual (English-Spanish) administrator with a proven track record in effectively leading organizations through continuous improvement, professional training and development programs, and an unwavering focus on the achievement of excellence. He has demonstrated leadership success with diverse, multicultural environments and employs finely developed communication and listening skills to facilitate strong, collaborative relationships with colleagues, internal teams, district office staff, and community partners.

Estela Peregrina-Schubert, LACOE Community Schools Specialist, Bassett High School, Bassett Unified School District

Estela Peregrina-Schubert’s 29 years of experience in education is diverse, with specialization in alternative education and coordinating resources to support students and their families. She spent a decade serving at-promise youth as a counselor and administrator and, in this capacity, supported and inspired young people to overcome daily challenges within the juvenile justice system, with substance abuse, mental health, and staying on track for graduation. As a Community Schools Specialist for the Los Angeles County Office of Education at Bassett High School, her first year in this capacity has taught her that there is so much more impactful work to be done in education.

Estela holds advanced degrees in educational leadership and educational counseling from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and Azusa Pacific University. In addition to her passion for education, Estela is a mother to two amazing daughters.

Dr. Michelle Castelo Alferes, Director, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Community Schools Initiative

Dr. Michelle Castelo Alferes serves as the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Community Schools Initiative (CSI) Director III. Dr. Castelo Alferes has over 20 years of experience in public education focused on student support services, dropout prevention, child welfare and attendance, and mental health. She has dedicated her career to empowering school communities, leveraging their strengths, and promoting social justice. Dr. Castelo Alferes is a three-time graduate of UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, master’s in Social Work, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership.

Previously, Dr. Castelo Alferes came from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), where she served at-promise and historically underserved student populations and school communities as a Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) Counselor, lead PSA Counselor, Program Coordinator, and Director of Pupil Services. Most recently, Dr. Castelo Alferes served as director with LAUSD’s Student Health and Human Services division, leading the work of Human Relations, Diversity and Equity, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports/Restorative Practices (PBIS/RP), and data/program evaluation. She is also a part-time Adjunct Professor in the Social Work program for Mount Saint Mary’s University.

Peer Learning Exchange: Restorative Beliefs in Action

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This Peer Learning Exchange will provide a space to learn about and consider how to employ restorative practices to center trusting relationships and improve school climate. What are some examples of restorative beliefs? Which do you—or might you want to—prioritize in your community? Hear how our presenter has brought some of these restorative principles to life with specific practice examples, such as using micro-affirmations to lift up students.

Presenting Partner: Timothy Ojetunde

Timothy Ojetunde is a Program Associate at WestEd on the Resilient Healthy Schools and Communities team, focusing on school climate and data use. He supports districts and schools in centering equity and improving educational outcomes for all. Timothy’s expertise is grounded in school culture and climate, restorative practices, SEL, and trauma-informed practices, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Timothy comes to WestEd with over a decade of knowledge and experience across multiple spaces and communities, having been a teacher, advisory and school culture specialist, school administrator, and DEI consultant. In his work, he has coached school administrators, presented to leaders, and facilitated sessions for hundreds of educators and learners. He is extremely passionate about creating equitable outcomes and is dedicated to supporting students and adults as they grow, develop, and find success.

Timothy was born and raised in Los Angeles and is a graduate of UCLA with master’s degrees from Arizona State University and California State University, Dominguez Hills.

 

Highlighted Resources:

Accessing Comprehensive Children’s Well-Being Data to Inform School Climate Improvement Efforts

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Watch the session recording below.

Children Now’s 2023 County Scorecard of Children’s Well-Being is an interactive online tool that provides a comprehensive picture of children’s health, education, and welfare in every one of California’s 58 counties. This tool provides county-level data mapping, tracking key indicators of child well-being across counties, over time, and by race and ethnicity. In this webinar, Children Now will review findings from their most recent Scorecard, review how to access local county data, and discuss how communities have used the data to inform their efforts.

Presenters

Kelly Hardy, Senior Managing Director, Health & Research

Kelly Hardy directs and supervises the organization’s health policy and research projects, including the California Children’s Report Card and California County Scorecard of Children’s Well-Being.

Ms. Hardy has worked in health policy at the federal, state and county levels, focusing on Medi-Cal and the uninsured. In Washington, D.C., she advocated for reproductive rights and on behalf of breast cancer organizations as a member of government relations firm Bass and Howes, Inc. In Sacramento, Ms. Hardy worked directly with the California Health and Human Services Agency’s Assistant Secretary on Medi-Cal; she also analyzed state health policies and budgets for the government relations firm Hyde, Miller, Owen & Trost. Afterwards, she oversaw the Medi-Cal, CalWand food stamp budgets for the Alameda County Social Services Agency.

Ms. Hardy earned her MPP and MPH at University of California, Berkeley and a B.A. in psychology with a minor in women’s studies at Johns Hopkins University.

Jurnee Louder, Assistant, Research

Jurnee Louder serves as the Research Assistant at Children Now. In this role, Ms. Louder supports the development of the organization’s research-oriented publications and projects.

Prior to joining Children Now, Ms. Louder graduated magna cum laude from the George Washington University, with a B.A. in sociology. In her studies, she developed not only a robust understanding of research methods, but also honed her passion for using research to improve disparities across vulnerable populations. Ms. Louder won awards for her university research and presented at regional conferences. While pursuing her degree, Ms. Louder also worked as a writing consultant at her alma mater’s writing center. There, she met with a diverse set of clients to help them strengthen their writing and research process.

In her free time, Ms. Louder enjoys reading, cooking, exploring the Bay Area and caring for her ever-growing collection of plants.

 

 

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Peer Learning Exchange: Building Engagement and Wellness Through Human Connection

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As the second half of the school year gets underway, many students and staff struggle with motivation, self-efficacy, and just showing up. After the winter break, some may come back rested and rejuvenated while others may feel overwhelmed. How can we care for ourselves and others in a way that is manageable, uplifting, and connecting so that students and adults feel supported as part of a community?

Join the California Center for School Climate and other educators to discuss how you can increase connection, and thus well-being, for yourself, team members, and the students you serve. School counselor and family coach Melissa Saunders will ground us in theory and share a specific practice that you can implement immediately—individually or as a school community—to support a struggling student or colleague while improving your own experience at work.

Participants will have the opportunity to gain practical strategies, as well as share their own successes and challenges, in small and large groups with peers from across the state.

Presenting field partner: Melissa Saunders has worked in public education for over 20 years. She started her career as a classroom teacher and has had the opportunity to serve students and families in numerous other roles at both the site and district level as a school counselor, special education liaison, and intervention lead. She has specialized training and expertise in MTSS, PBIS, social–emotional and behavioral interventions, LGBTQ youth, trauma-informed practices, restorative practices, crisis intervention, and mental health. Her professional passion is creating systems and structures to support the needs of all students. Currently, Melissa works part-time as a school counselor and sees clients for family coaching and counseling. You can learn more about her work at: www.melissasaunders.com.

Highlighted Resources:

Digging Deeper Into School Climate Data to Inform Your LCAP

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How might we explore LCAP school climate metrics with more intention? How can we integrate local context? Local context and education partners can help shine a light on strengths and opportunities for growth in your school or district. In this session, we will investigate how to explore your school climate data included in LCAPs and identify ways to dig deeper to understand your data. Anaheim Union High School district will share their journey in engaging educational partners in this process.

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Speakers

Ashley N. Brown, Education Programs Consultant, California Department of Education
Ashley Brown, MEd, serves as an Education Programs Consultant in the Student Achievement and Support Division at the California Department of Education. In this role, Brown works with Local Educational Agencies (LEA) supporting technical assistance for Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) and supporting County Offices of Education in the differentiated assistance process. She has more than 18 years of experience in education. Brown has served as a teacher in the Peace Corps, a credentialed school counselor, and, most recently, as a district administrator for African American achievement in the San Francisco Unified School District.

Hilva Chan, Education Programs Consultant, California Department of Education
Hilva Chan, MSW, is an Education Programs Consultant with the California Department of Education. Chan has extensive experience managing programs promoting youth resiliency and wellness both at the state and local levels, and she has managed several federal grants addressing school safety, positive school climate, and student mental health. She is currently the program director for two mental health projects, Project Cal-STOP and Project Cal-Well. Chan oversees the California Center for School Climate and the statewide implementation of the California School Climate, Health, and Learning Surveys.

 

Carlos Hernández, Director of Community Schools and Family and Community Engagement, Anaheim Union High School District
Carlos Hernández. In 1999, Carlos Hernández returned to the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) after graduating from University of California, Los Angeles, with a degree in mathematics. From 1999 through 2005, he taught math; facilitated the Mathematical Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program; and took on leadership roles such as the Title I program specialist, at Sycamore Junior High School. He also coached baseball and football during those same years. Hernández transitioned to an administrative position in November 2005 when he was hired to be an assistant principal at Savanna High School. In May 2011, he was given the opportunity to become the principal at South Junior High School, where he served until June, 2015. He continued serving his community as the principal of Savanna High School until December 2017.  He was appointed as the director of guidance and student services, and has served as the director of curriculum and instruction, and director of learning and development in the Anaheim Union High School District. Thanks in large part to the work and the advocacy that is taking place with all educational partners, the Anaheim Union High School District has made it a priority to create a full department of Community Schools and Family and Community Engagement, where he is the director.

Roxanna Hernandez, Coordinator of Learning and Development, Anaheim Union High School District

Roxanna Hernandez, EdD. Dr. Roxanna Hernandez has earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree through the Principal’s Leadership Academy at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She holds an educational doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Roxanna Hernandez currently serves as the coordinator of learning and development in the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD). She served both as an assistant principal and as a principal at Katella High School for seven years. Before she joined AUHSD, Hernandez was the senior program specialist for English language learners (ELL) with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). She began her career in education in the Compton Unified School District where she taught English language development, English language arts, and was named an EL program specialist. During her career in education, Hernandez has provided leadership to ELL programs, led processes to support district and site recognitions, such as the 2019 California Democracy School distinction, 2021 California Civic Engagement Award of Excellence, and the 2022 California Green Ribbon Award. Hernandez has also served as the principal of the AUHSD’s Summer Language Academy, which is a Golden Bell–recognized program. Her work was recognized in 2019 when she was awarded Co-Administrator of Year. In her current position, Hernandez hopes to continue to contribute to the AUHSD mission and vision to, “create a better world through Unlimited You.”

Robert Saldivar, Executive Director of Educational Services, Anaheim Union High School District
Robert Saldivar. After graduating from California State University, Fullerton, in 2001, Robert Saldivar was hired to teach health, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), and PE at his alma mater, Anaheim High School. After coaching and teaching at Anaheim High School for eight years, Robert transitioned into administration in hopes of having a greater impact on a larger population of students and families that are from similar communities that he grew up in. Over the next six years, he served first as an assistant principal at Ball Junior High School and then Anaheim High School. Saldivar was given the opportunity to serve as a principal in 2014 at Orangeview Junior High School before being appointed as principal of Anaheim High School in July 2017. Robert took over his alma mater as the first alumnus to become principal of the school in its rich 120-year history. Thanks to a hardworking and dedicated staff and a culture fostered in kindness, compassion, and reflective practices, Anaheim High School over the next five years was able to increase its graduation rate by 15 percent over the next five years, increase its A-G completion rate by 38 percent, and as a result of schoolwide efforts on important matters like civic education and civic engagement, Anaheim High School was also a recipient of accolades like the Civic Learning Award for the 2021/22 school year given by the California State Department of Education. In the summer of 2022, Robert was appointed as the executive director of Educational Services for the Anaheim Union High School District. Saldivar, who started as a teacher and a coach at his alma mater with the hopes of positively impacting students from the same community that he grew up in, now looks forward to the opportunity to have a much larger impact on an entire district that serves thousands of staff, families, and students.

Melinda Wallace, Senior Program Associate, Region 15 Comprehensive Center at WestEd
Melinda Wallace is aSenior Program Associate with the Region 15 Comprehensive Center led by WestEd serving the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. She leads work to provide support and assistance to state education agencies and other education entities to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of instruction. Prior to joining WestEd, Wallace served as a classroom teacher, an instructional coach, a turnaround principal, and a district office administrator in California.

Peer Learning Exchange- Product Deep Dive: Cultivating Caring Relationships at School: 15 Activities that Promote Staff and Student Connection

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Join the California Center for School Climate for a deep dive into an upcoming product, Cultivating Caring Relationships at School: 15 Activities that Promote Staff and Student Connection. Students who have access to caring relationships are more academically engaged, display stronger social skills, and exhibit increased positive behavior. Cultivating trust between adults and students can also heighten students’ motivation. During this Peer Learning Exchange, you’ll get a first look and you’ll hear from the authors and youth contributors to the toolkit. Participants will have the opportunity to gain practical strategies, as well as share their own successes and challenges in supporting relationship building in small and large groups with peers from across the state.

Watch this video to learn about an activity in the toolkit!

View the transcript.

View and download the toolkit.