2021-22 Evaluation Findings
City of San Pablo
Youth, School, and Community Partnerships Division
SAN PABLO
BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
CITYWIDE SUMMARY
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
4 6
San Pablo
school sites in
Initiative
2,714
Youth served
in SPBCSI
schools
14,010
Community
members
benefited
About SPBCSI
In the 2021-22 school year, the City of San Pablo granted a mix of staffing and program funding to community -based organizations (lead agencies) to support the implementation of community schools at all San Pablo schools through the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative (SPBCSI) (Figure 1, next page).
About the
Evaluation
San Pablo commissioned Public Profit to conduct an independent evaluation of the SPBCSI. Our evaluation looked holistically at the implementation at each school as compared to its school-specific goals and the City’s youth outcome goals.
Key Findings
The community school strategy was essential during this challenging year. Students struggled to adjust to in-person school after being home for a year and a half. There were high rates of student and teacher absences due to COVID- 19. The national substitute teacher shortage created stress and burnout as administrators and teachers covered for absent teachers on top of their other duties. Beacon Directors mobilized staff, students, families, and partners to fill in staffing gaps, connect students and families to resources, and uplift school morale.
Citywide Summary 2021-22
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative (SPBCSI) Vision Statement:
With great schools at the center, the children and families of San Pablo thrive in a safe, diverse, and inclusive community.
The City of San Pablo is a member of the Beacon National Network, whose mission is to transform public schools into youth, family, and community centers. The City invests in community schools at all six San Pablo schools and at Richmond High.
99%
of youth surveyed
feel safe in their
program
88%
of youth say they are
better at setting
goals
85%
of youth say they
try harder at
school
SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
INITIATIVE
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Figure 1
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
School Success & Community Well-Being
The City of San Pablo uses school- and population-level data as indicators of the community’s well- being. These data are used to provide context, inform resource allocation decisions, and evaluate the trajectory of the community. The San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative , alongside other partners and initiatives, is designed to have a positive impact on these indicators over time.
School Attendance Rates
San Pablo schools have had high and relatively consistent attendance rates.
San Pablo schools had high and relatively consistent attendance rates over the past several years (Figure 2). In the 2018-19 school year, almost all San Pablo schools had equal or slightly higher attendance than the West Contra Costa Unified School District (the District) average attendance for their corresponding grade level . Bayview (92%) had an attendance rate just below the elementary school average (94%). In the 2019-20 school year, all San Pablo schools had equal or slightly higher attendance than the previous year of 2018-19, with a small decrease for Richmond (95% to 94%). In the 2020-21 school year, which was almost entirely conducted through distance learning, attendance rates declined for Helms (95% to 89%) and Richmond (94% to 9 2%). This was consistent with district trends at the corresponding grade levels.
Attendance rates for the San Pablo elementary schools stayed relatively consistent with the previous year, except for E.M. Downer (94% to 96%) and Bayview (93% to 91%).
Figure 2: San Pablo schools attendance rates stayed consistent for most schools across the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21 school years
Sources: 2018-19 average attendance rates are approximated based on reported School Attendance Rates by Year, WCCUSD Data Dashboards retrieved from: https://www.wccusd.net/Page/8103, July 2020. 2019- 20 and 2020-21 average attendance rates are approximated based on preliminary data provided by WCCUSD. The 2020 -21 attendance rates are based on attendance from September 2020 through April 2021. Attendance data for the 2021-2022 school year was not available at the time of this report.
96%
91% 94% 95% 94% 89% 92% 93%
0%
50%
100%
Downer Bayview Riverside Dover Lake Helms Richmond San Pablo Average
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Chronic Absenteeism Rates
San Pablo chronic absenteeism has remained higher than the county level, but similar to the District level overall.
Chronic absenteeism can negatively impact student learning and school climate. Students are considered chronically absent if they are absent for at least 10 % of the instructional days for which they were enrolled. From school years 2017-18 to 2020-21, chronic absenteeism rates across the San Pablo schools followed a variety of trends, including an increase at Helms from 13% to 32% and a downward trajectory at E.M. Downer from 22% to 6%.1 The California Department of Education did not release chronic absenteeism data for the 2019 -20 school year because of validity issues related to the pandemic.
Figure 3: San Pablo schools chronic absenteeism rates varied by school across the 2017- 18, 2018-19, and 2020-21 school years
Source: Absenteeism data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, July 2022.
English Language Arts/Literacy Benchmarks
San Pablo schools trail behind the District’s average for literacy benchmarks, though nearly all San Pablo schools showed improvement from 2018 to 2019.
The 2018-19 Smarter Balanced assessment system showed that 72% of Contra Costa County (CCC) and just over half (56%) of the District’s students were assessed to be “near” or “above” grade level standards for reading. All six San Pablo schools were behind the District as a whole, yet nearly all San Pablo schools showed improvement from 2018 to 2019 ( Figure 4). There were no assessments in 2019-20 and 2020-21 because of COVID-19, and the assessment data from 2021-22 was not released at the time of this report . The City of San Pablo identified
1 Absenteeism data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, July 2022 11%
20%
31%
13%
6%
32%
14% 16%
22%
0%
50%
100%
CCC WCCUSD Bayview Dover Downer Helms Lake Riverside Richmond
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
improving literacy as a citywide priority . In response to this priority, in 2021- 22, Beacon Directors held read-ins, facilitated book giveaways, and coordinated Spellathons.
Figure 4: San Pablo schools had smaller proportions of students near or above grade-level literacy benchmarks compared to Contra Costa County (CCC) and the District (WCCUSD) in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years
Source: California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Test Results for English Language Arts/Literacy for 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years retrieved from: https://caaspp.cde.ca.gov/, July 2020.
73%
55%
53%
43% 42% 45%
39%
31%
72%
56% 55%
49%
44% 42% 42%
34%
0%
50%
100%
CCC WCCUSD Riverside Dover Downer Lake Helms Bayview
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Perception of Safety at School
Most youth and families feel safe in San Pablo schools.
Results from YouthTruth Surveys in the 2018-19 and 2019- 20 school years highlight an upward trajectory of family and student perceptions of safety in most San Pablo schools. In San Pablo elementary and middle schools with two years of family survey results, perceived school safety increased or remained the same from 2018 -19 to 2019-20 (Figure 5).2 In most San Pablo schools, student perceptions of safety increased as well, with perceptions decreasing at Helms (51% to 50%) and E.M. Downer (65% to 56%)(Figure 6).
Figure 5: Family perceptions of school safety rose in nearly all San Pablo schools from the 2018-19 to the 2019-20 school year
Source: YouthTruth Family Surveys 2018-19 and 2019-20. Percent of family members who responded “Agree” / “Strongly Agree” to the statement “My child is safe from violence at school”. E.M. Downer did not have 2018-2019 data.
Figure 6: Student perceptions of school safety rose in most San Pablo schools from the 2018-19 to the 2019-20 school year
Source: YouthTruth Survey Student Surveys 2018-19 and 2019-20. Percent of students who responded “yes very safe” to the question “Do you feel safe at school?” (elementary schools) or “Agree”/ “Strongly Agree” to the statement “I feel safe from harm while at school in general” (middle school).
2 San Pablo 2018-19 to 2019-20 YouthTruth Survey Results. The YouthTruth survey was not administered in 2020- 21 and 2022-22.
22%
34%
56%
80% 78%
49%
38%
44% 44%
78%
82% 81%
46%
0%
50%
100%
Bayview Dover Downer Lake Riverside Helms Richmond
44%
59%
65%
53%
63%
51% 54%
47%
60%
56%
64%
68%
50%
57%
0%
50%
100%
Bayview Dover Downer Lake Riverside Helms Richmond
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Recent data from a student survey for the WCCUSD Community Schools Discovery Report showed that student perceptions of safety are similar to previous years.3 A little over half of students said their school offered “an environment where students feel safe and cared for.” (E.M. Downer Elementary - 56%, Helms Middle - 57%, Richmond High – 56%). About a third of students said their school offered “a community free from bullying and harassment.” (E.M. Downer Elementary - 31%, Helms Middle - 35%, Richmond High – 35%).
High School Graduation Rate
The graduation rate at Richmond High increased over the last decade.
San Pablo elementary and middle schools feed into Richmond High School. Richmond High School’s graduation rate has increased in the past decade from 80% in the 2010-11 school year, to a high of 89% from 201 3-15, followed by a decline to 84% in 2021-22. Richmond’s change in graduation rates over time largely mirrors the District and county trajectories.
Figure 7: Richmond High graduation rates have increased and followed the County and District’s trends over time
Source: 4-year Graduation Rate data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, July 2022.
Suspension Rates
Suspension rates at Helms Middle and Richmond High have followed the Districtwide trend of decreasing over time.
The City works to support the District’s Positive School Climate Policy, which includes efforts to reduce suspension rates. Over the past nine years, suspension rates at Helms Middle School have decreased considerably, from 26% in school year 2011-12 to 5% in school year 2019-20.4
3 Survey data provided by the Glen Price Group for the WCCUSD Community Schools Discovery Report , Spring 2022.
Note: Public Profit chose to share student survey data from schools with a survey response rate of at least 18%. This included E.M. Downer Elementary (18%), Helms Middle (33%), and Richmond High (20%). 4 Suspension data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, July 2022. 0%
50%
100%
10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 21-22 CCC WCCUSD Richmond
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
This decrease follows seventh to eighth grade trends at the District level. There were zero suspensions in school year 2020-21 because of distance learning.
Figure 8: Helms suspension rates have followed District trends over time
Source: Suspension rate data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, July 2022.
Over the past nine years, suspension rates across Richmond High have decreased from 13% in the 2011-12 school year to 5% in 2019-20. Richmond High’s suspension rates have been similar to the average for high schools in the District since 2017-18.
Figure 9: Richmond High suspension rates have mirrored District trends since 2017-18
Source: Suspension rate data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, July 2022.
Crime Rates
Violent crime offenses in San Pablo have decreased over time.
The City’s Violence Prevention and Intervention strategy aims to decrease crime in San Pablo.
Data provided by the San Pablo Poli ce Department shows that violent crime offenses have gradually decreased over time , from 242 offenses in 2014 to 170 offenses in 2021. Juvenile felony arrests have not followed a consistent trend; they ranged from 20 to 39 annually between 2014-2020 and dropped to four in 2021.5
5 Crime rates provided by the San Pablo Police Department. 0%
50%
100%
11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 CCC WCCUSD Helms
0%
50%
100%
11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 CCC WCCUSD Richmond
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
San Pablo Residents Served
All 2,714 youth at San Pablo schools and 1,494 youth at Richmond High School benefited from the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative.
The San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative intends to have a positive impact on all students by enhancing each school’s culture and climate, family engagement, and health and wellness services. All San Pablo schools had Beacon Directors who coordinated services and events schoolwide. Additionally, some youth received more intensive supports through targeted programing and services. Partner organizations often had a school-wide presence, and youth who participate in SPBCSI programs interacted with their peers at school, both of which influenced the overall school climate and culture.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative indirectly benefited approximately 14,010 San Pablo community members.6
Since services to youth likely have a benefit on their families and households, we expect that the reach of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative goes beyond the young people enrolled in the schools. Benefits have the potential to ripple out to the estimated 14,010 community members who are, or live with, youth in San Pablo schools: and ultimately to all 32,127 residents of San Pablo.
Figure 10: San Pablo programs benefited 14,010 community members
Sources: CDE Dataquest, July 2022; U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020. *Youth at San Pablo Schools, including Richmond High School.
6 We calculated 14,010 community members by multiplying the number of youth in San Pablo schools (4,208) by the average household size in San Pablo (3.33 individuals per family). Data limitations include: the average household size might be different for families with children; youth may share households with other youth; and youth may live in multiple households.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census via Quick Facts https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sanpablocitycalifornia 32,127
San Pablo
Residents
14,010
Community
Members
Benefited
4,208
Youth
Benefited
at Schools
360
Youth in
Programs
SPBCSI
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
360 youth were served by SPBCSI programs.
Programs funded by SPBCSI, including those at Richmond High, directly served 360 youth.7 This included leadership-focused programs, afterschool sports and clubs, and affinity groups that support young people’s social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs. See Appendix A for a complete list of program names and descriptions. 353 youth were referred to services through CARE Teams.
As part of their role, Beacon Directors at San Pablo Beacon Community Schools coordinate critical services for youth, often through their school’s Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) teams. In the 2021-22 school year, 353 youth were referred to services, most often for academic/school needs, including academic concerns, learning difficulties, and truancy .
Most youth referred were Latinx (77%), which reflects the overall population of San Pablo schools (79%). About 1 in 6 students referred were African American (17%) even though they only represent 9% of the school population. Middle school students were more likely to be referred than elementary students; more than 4 in 10 referred students were in seventh or eighth grade (45%) even though middle school students only make up one -quarter (24%) of San Pablo students. About half of the students referred were male (55%), which is consistent with the overall population in San Pablo schools (53%).
Figure 11: CARE referrals
Students referred
nnnnnnnnnn
Schools overall
nnnnnnnnnn
388 referrals for 353
unduplicated students
Nearly 8 out of 10 (77%) students
referred were Latinx
Academic/School Needs
referrals were most common
13% of the student
population was referred
Nearly 5 out of 10 (45%) students
referred were in 7th or 8th grade
Over half (55%) of students
referred were male
Sources: Cityspan Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) data, July 2022; CDE, DataQuest 2021-22 Enrollment Data, accessed July 2022.
7 Count of youth enrolled in San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Programs. Due to data limitations, there could be duplication if students attend multiple programs.
9%
17%
32%
41%
Health
Social
Emotional
Academic
13%
8% 7%
13% 10% 5% 7% 5%
23% 22%
K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Students referred Schools overall
55%
53%
45%
47%
Students
referred
Schools
overall
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Students and families attended 86 events hosted across all six SPBSCI schools and the City of San Pablo.
Beacon Directors organized 74 events throughout the school year to improve school culture and climate and to engage with caregivers and families. All SPBSCI schools reported hosting at least three events this year. Additionally, t he City of San Pablo hosted 12 events in partnership with the San Pablo Youth Commission for community members.
86 Events
183
Average
Student Attendance*
47 Average
Family Attendance*
Sample of 2021-22 SPBSCI Events
Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCU) College
Panel
(Bayview Elementary)
For Black History Month, the Beacon Director organized a HBCU college panel where 4 college alumni (Howard University, Morehouse College, Alabama State, and North Carolina A&T) discussed HBCUs and higher education.
Latinx Celebration/ Field Day
(Dover Elementary)
This schoolwide event included organized activities, music, arts and crafts, and displays about Latin American countries. The event was facilitated by the Student Council with the support of two teachers and the Beacon Director.
Unified Olympics
(E. M. Downer Elementary)
The Unified Olympics was a field day aligned with the Special Olympics guidelines. The event offered activities for all students no matter their level motor or sensory skills.
Family Information Night
(Helms Middle)
This information night for rising seventh graders and their families included an opportunity to learn about Helms and the resources available at the school. It also included campus tours.
Asian American and Pacific
Islander Heritage Read-In
(Lake Elementary)
Members of the community read to different age groups during Lake's second annual AAPI Heritage Read- In This event promoted literacy, youth leadership, and cultural awareness.
SoccerPalooza
(Riverside Elementary)
SoccerPalooza combined a day of soccer skills with Special Olympics. The second and third grade students came together to learn soccer skills, play games, and build community. Students started the day taking the Special Olympics pledge. Sixth grade students served as junior coaches and helpers.
San Pablo Unity Day
(City of San Pablo)
The San Pablo Unity Day was a drive -through event to promote anti- bullying in San Pablo. During the event, the Youth Commissioners set up a table and distributed bags with snacks, resource flyers, and bracelets to attendees. *Averages calculated across events that provided attendance data. Source: Cityspan Events data, July 2022.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Youth Outcomes
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive youth development practices. Youth survey data suggests programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies.
Figure 12: Youth felt empowered and supported
84%
94%
99%
99%
In this program I can go to an adult for advice if
I have a serious problem.
I like this program.
In this program I feel safe.
In this program the adults care about me.
“We speak on how we actually feel
without being judged.”
“I really like how the program
is a safe space for people in
the LGBTQ+ community.”
“What I like best about this program is that this
is a safe space and no matter the situation or
circumstances, they will always back us up.”
“What I like best about the
program is the positivity that
spreads around!”
“I love [this] program because
they take care of me.”
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Figure 13: Youth developed social competencies
80%
81%
82%
85%
88%
In this program I am better at planning ahead.
This program has helped me to stay away from
violence and fighting.
In this program I am better at taking care of problems
without violence or fighting.
This program has helped me to say “no” to things I
know are wrong.
In this program I am better at setting goals.
“This program helped me be…
better in my planning and also
helped me get over my
nervousness.”
“They help me never give up
and to finish strong and to do
my best.”
“This program convinced me to
be a better person like doing
school work and this program
taught me how to control my
anger.”
“It helps me be the best I can
be in and out the classroom.”
“I like how I get to be someone that
I've hidden away for so long.”
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Figure 14: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning
Source for Figures 12-14 and quotes: Youth Surveys (N=220), 2021-22 surveys. Surveys are from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director. This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school.
74%
79%
80%
85%
This program has helped me to become more
interested in going to school.
This program has helped me to participate
more in class activities.
This program has helped me to care more
about my school.
This program has helped me to try harder in
school.
“It helps me by learning how
to talk to new people.”
“I like being able to have tons of
control around events and being
able to serve as a way for other
students voices to be heard.”
“It helps me learn and
respect other people and
they solve my problems.”
“I like this program because I
could be free. I can have fun
and I can always learn new
things.”
“What I like best about the program is that it
motivated me to get up more early. It also made
me like school more.”
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Community Schools Coordination
Beacon Directors are key to the implementation of the community school strategy at each school .
Beacon Directors work collaboratively with school staff, community partners, and families to support the whole child. The San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative implementation strategy focuses on three main areas: health and wellness, family engagement, and school culture and climate.
We draw our findings from interviews with the Principal, Beacon Director, and Lead Agency Supervisor at each school, and documents provided by the City of San Pablo.
School Highlights
Common Themes at San Pablo Schools
The community school strategy was essential during this challenging year. Students struggled to adjust to in-person school after being home for a year and a half. There were high rates of student and teacher absences due to COVID- 19 infections and exposures. The national substitute teacher shortage created stress and burnout as administrators and teachers covered for absent teachers on top of their other duties. Beacon Directors, school staff, and community partners navigated these challenges effectively because of the relationships and systems they had developed as part of the community school strategy. Beacon Directors
BAYVIEW
Bayview staff
organized sports
teams, clubs, and
events to uplift the
culture and climate of
the school.
DOVER
Dover staff
empowered student
and family leaders to
implement
community-building
events and activities.
E.M. DOWNER
E.M. Downer
leadership participated
in learning community
cohorts about
community resource
mapping and building
teams.
HELMS
Helms leadership
prioritized health and
wellness and
opportunities for
positivity and
connection.
LAKE
Lake staff coordinated
themed read-ins to
celebrate literacy and
diversity and
facilitated student
leadership groups.
RIVERSIDE
Riverside leadership
used enrichment
opportunities to
support youth
development and
build a positive school
culture and climate.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
mobilized staff, students, families, and partners to fill in staffing gaps, connect students and families to resources, and uplift school morale.
Health and Wellness
Beacon Directors coordinated mental health services, connected students and families to resources, and supported COVID-19 testing, vaccine clinics, and communications.
Beacon Directors continued to lead their school’s Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team to connect students to supports such as individual therapy, enrichments, support groups, mentors, Student Success Teams, and outside community services and resources. Most of the CARE teams became smaller and more informal as many staff members could not participate. Several schools did not have sufficient mental health support on campus. Despite these challenges, Beacon Directors worked with community partner agencies and school staff to ensure all referred students and their families received the needed supports. In addition to supporting student wellness, Beacon Directors supported staff wellness with apprec iation weeks and restorative activities. Additionally, Beacon Directors coordinated COVID- 19 testing and vaccine clinics, supported contact tracing, and communicated with families about COVID- 19 policy updates.
Spotlight Stories:
• The Riverside Beacon Director led a wellness professional learning community for staff members. Teachers meditated, painted, walked, and created mental health folders for themselves. Teachers later supported students in creating their own mental health folders to track and reflect on their feelings.
• The E.M. Downer Beacon Director hosted the school’s first luncheon appreciation event for community partners. Staff from partner organizations met each other , reflected on the year, and planned for the future.
• The Bayview Beacon Director coordinated sports activities during lunch recess to encourage students to be physically active and work together on teams. The activities were modeled after the lunch sports tournaments at Helms. “I will give our CARE team kudos for the fact that we still are pushing through. We still get creative. We still find resources for students who have been referred.” — E.M. Downer Beacon Director
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Family Engagement
Beacon Directors and school staff strived to stay connected with families despite COVID- 19 pandemic limitations.
All San Pablo schools explicitly focus on
supporting youth by engaging their families.
Families were not allowed on campus for
most of the year, which limited
communication and activity options.
Because of technological limitations, virtual
events and meetings did not work well for
many families. Despite these challenges,
schools had several successful family events
and many successful one -on-one
engagements. Beacon Directors and s chool
staff communicated with families through
robocalls, phone calls, social media, Class
Dojo, and in- person conversations outside
the school gate. School staff host ed virtual
parent chats and online meetings for School
Site Council (SSC), African American Parent
Advisory Council (AAPAC), and English
Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC)
parent groups. The Beacon Directors connected families to donated goods through the City’s Family Giving Tree Holiday Program, the City’s Back to School Closet, and other community giveaways. In the spring, some schools began opening their campuses for the in- person participation of families at events and meetings.
“There are technical challenges that come with [virtual events]. It's not that families don't want to be part of it, but that access to it is not equitable when we make it online. I'm anticipating that there will be more folks coming in once we make [activities] in-person.” — Dover Beacon Director
Spotlight Stories:
• Dover families volunteered at the school’s culminating event, the Multicultural Health Fair. The Fair celebrated diversity through the arts, performances, and physical activities. The Beacon Director facilitated weekly volunteer meetings leading up to the event where families planned the decorations, activities, and food. This was the first - time families returned to the campus to plan an in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
• In May, the E.M. Downer Beacon Director held the school’s first in-person event for families, the African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) community meeting breakfast. Students recited poems and staff from the District’s Office of African American Student Achievement presented students with achievement certificates.
• Lake staff started the year with “Lake Huddles”, biweekly online gatherings where families could ask administrators about any concerns. The Beacon Director and the School Community Outreach Worker continued with online parent coffee chats throughout the year where families could ask questions and learn about resources.
School Culture and Climate
Beacon Directors brought positivity to the culture and climate of their school through community building events, student clubs, and enrichment opportunities.
Staff and student morale were strained this year by the pandemic and resulting staff shortages.
Beacon Directors coordinated events and activities for students and staff to uplift the culture and climate of their schools . Beacon Directors led themed read- ins and celebrations highlighting diversity, inclusivity, and belonging. Additionally, Beacon Directors coordinated small group activities where students could connect with their peers. These activities included enrichment opportunities, leadership groups, and student clubs. The student leadership groups uplifted students and staff with spirit weeks, teacher appreciation activities, and school- wide field days. One Beacon Director said the field days, “brought a sense of community and normalcy to a year that has been full of changes and challenges.” Beacon Directors also implemented strategic efforts to remind students how to behave at school after a year and a half of distance learning. For instance, due to staffing shortages, two Beacon Directors covered cafeteria duty and used that time as an opportunity to communicate behavior expectations and reward positive behavior.
Spotlight Stories:
• Riverside leadership prioritized enrichment opportunities to build a positive school culture and climate. All students participated in enrichment activities from 1 to 3 pm every day. The Beacon Director built partnerships with outside providers to offer activities such as chess, cooking, yoga, capoeira, sports, art, and dance. The Principal said these activities energized students to come to school and helped staff build stronger relationships with students.
• The Helms and Bayview Beacon Directors supported a variety of student clubs based on student interests expressed during surveys last year. Bayview clubs included a movie club, a basketball club, and an arts and crafts club. Helms clubs included an anime
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
club, a rainbow alliance, and a leadership club. Both schools held a “club rush” day in the Fall where students signed up.
The Lake Beacon Director continued the school’s long-standing tradition of hosting read-in events. This year included themed read-ins in honor of Black History Month, Latinx Heritage Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Women’s History Month. During these events, guest speakers from the community read to the students via Zoom. The read- ins celebrated literacy, diversity, and storytelling.
“One of the highlights on our climate culture front is our leadership club… These kids were some of the happiest, most positive kids and they got into it, and they made an investment in the culture.”— Helms Beacon Director
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Lead Agency and Youth, School, and Community Partnerships (YSCP) Supports All Beacon Directors felt supported by their lead agenc y, Bay Area Community Resources (BACR), and by the City staff in the Youth, School, and Community Partnerships (YSCP) division.
The lead agency supported Beacon Directors through coaching and group support.
Beacon Directors met one-on-one with their BACR supervisor as needed and met as a group monthly with their BACR counterparts from community schools around the Bay Area. The monthly meetings were a useful venue to learn from other schools and spark collaborations.
For instance, during these meetings, the Bayview and Lake Beacon Directors collaborated with the Community School Manager from Greenwood Academy High School to arrange for High School Leadership students to lead a read-in at the elementary schools.
YSCP staff convened the Beacon Directors monthly and provided tailored one-on-one technical assistance.
All Beacon Directors found the monthly YSCP meetings to be informative and supportive.
Directors described the meetings as a way to share their struggles and successes, offer and receive support, and build community. Beacon Directors appreciated that it was a casual and small group, in contrast to some of the meetings they had with the District or BACR. Beacon Directors have a unique role at each school, so it was essential for them to connect with their counterparts at other schools. The foundation of community that the City built for the Beacon Directors extended well beyond the official meetings. Beacon Directors emphatically shared the importance of their camaraderie with their fellow Beacon Directors. "I think what I have found to be super useful this year has been my fellow Beacon Directors. Being able to reach out, to pick up the phone, to be in a meeting with them, to share information, to support each other... If you have not been on a school site, I don't think everybody really comprehends just how hard it's been. And I think we all, as the Beacon Directors, know what it's been like at our sites and how hard it has been. And I think that's why we have really bonded with each other around that this year." — Riverside Beacon Director
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Additionally, the Beacon Directors regularly met with YSCP staff for one -on-one coaching and thought partnership. YSCP staff customized their support depending on the needs of each Beacon Director. Beacon Directors described the YSCP team as proactive, supportive, and helpful. Beacon Directors felt comfortable with them and saw them as valued thought partners.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
2017-2023 Grant Cycle Reflections
The 2022-23 school year will be the last year of the current, six-year Team for Youth grant cycle. We asked Beacon Directors, Principals, the Lead Agency Supervisor, and the Richmond High School program grantees about their reflections on this grant cycle.
Schools have increasingly woven the Community School Strategy into their identity.
Research shows t hat it can take time for community school initiatives to mature, especially when multiple partners are involved. 8 Stakeholders described how the community school strategy has become increasingly ingrained into the identity of their schools over the years. “I think one of the biggest successes is the institutionalization of the community schools. It really does take many years of working at it. It seems to me like in most of the schools it has become part of the fabric. And that's great because that's what it is. Community schools are not a program. They are the everything.” — Lead Agency Supervisor “I don't think teachers or students or family members would even know that some of the things that we've implemented are even part of the full service community school model, which I think is a good thing. Because it's organic, we've taken some of the things that are our strengths and then we've just built them up." — E.M. Downer Principal “From the day I started until now, we really are still the full-service community school. We never lost that title, or that pride or that part of our school's identity. All the teachers are bought in. We have our systems of how we do it. That's how we roll at Helms. Everyone knows we do whatever it takes for a kid.” — Helms Principal
8 Maier, A., Daniel, J., Oakes, J., & Lam, L. (2017). Community schools as an effective school improvement strategy: A review of the evidence.
Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
The Violence Prevention and Intervention grantees became more integrated into Richmond High School.
The City of San Pablo granted program funding to two community -based organizations, Catholic Charities of the East Bay (CCEB) and Familias Unidas, to implement Violence Prevention and Intervention services at Richmond High School.
CCEB staff have provided service s at Richmond High
School for over a decade. During this time, CCEB staff
have seen restorative practices become part of the school culture. The Principal said the use of restorative practices has become what “we expect of adults here on campus.”
As the capacity of school staff has grown, they have
become more independent at infusing restorative practices without the support of CCEB. CCEB staff intentionally
co-facilitate circles with teachers to build their capacity.
The CCEB Restorative Practices Coordinator said these
tools help teachers feel more effective and “the more
teachers into it, the more it has a heavier impact on the school's general climate, because it changes the way we deal with each other now.” “[CCEB staff] have created relationships on campus where students have come and asked for a circle when they see a problem coming up. The students and the teachers also see them as a means to mediate any violence or any conflict on campus. That's where the circles between students, or students and adults, have been very helpful to come up with norms or at least how are we going to treat each other in this enclosed space that is our school.” — Richmond Principal
Familias Unidas staff said they have become more integrated into the school’s wellness center over the years . As the only bilingual therapist on site, they fill an important role. They coordinate with other partners and support with crisis intervention. Familias Unidas biggest strength is providing students with ongoing one -on-one mental health support. Familias Unidas staff have also led leadership development support groups at Richmond High School, but over the years have found their one-on-one support to be the most needed. “We've been very fortunate that that the City of San Pablo has funded us for this long because so many of these kids wouldn't get services otherwise. We had so many kids before when kids who were undocumented could not qualify for Medi-Cal. That was a huge problem. Now that they can qualify for Medi-Cal, still some are fearful. There are families that are very concerned about applying. …And so having this presence at the school is so important.” — Familias Unidas Clinical Director
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
The pandemic and distance learning brought to light some of the challenges and successes of this grant cycle.
The pandemic and its associated impacts made the last few years particularly challenging.
Interviewees described fraying systems, staffing shortages, and insufficient resources. Yet, interviewees also felt pride at how much the community school strategy has helped during these difficult times. Community school relationships, partnerships, systems, and mindsets supported the resiliency of students, families, and staff. Principals and Beacon Directors were inspired by how far their schools have come in this grant cycle and the potential areas for growth. They see opportunities to integrate afterschool programming more with the school day, increase family engagement, and provide more mental health services on campus. “In COVID [the community school model was] even more of a highlight. We had such a strong system to lean on to get the families when we had money or supplies. We knew exactly who to go to because of the way we work - from the teacher level on to the provider level.”— Helms Principal
“I think that this is an unusual school year to try to really compare to the beginning of [the grant] where it felt like things were a little more structured. I wouldn't have said this pre- pandemic, I would have said ‘okay, things are starting to feel a lot better.’ …I think that's just the climate of being in schools is right now. It's not specific to beacons or to San Pablo.” — Dover Beacon Director
“This year has been so unusual that it's really hard to feel accomplished because it really does feel like survival. It's hard to really reflect and feel like change has been made. I think if anything, it's about the resiliency of the community and the teachers, maybe the glimmer of hope is that if we can do that in this kind of time, can we hold that when it's less chaotic and be able to hold onto that and acknowledge that with each other.” — Riverside Beacon Director
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Reflections and Looking Ahead
The Youth, School, and Community Partnerships (YSCP) division continues to refine the SPBCSI based on what they learn from each cycle. We suggest YSCP consider supporting Beacon Directors and schools in the following areas next year:
• Support Beacon Directors in strengthening
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
(PBIS) systems. Several Principals and Beacon
Directors noted that the schools’ preventative
systems of communicating expectations and
rewarding appropriate behavior weakened compared
to previous years. Students needed reminders about
how to behave at school after being away for so long,
and staff did not have the capacity to invest in the
preventative, universal structures of the school.
• Assist with recruitment of mental health and enrichment providers. Principals said they would value support from the City in connecting their schools to more mental health counseling services and small group support opportunities. Several Principals said they had the funds for these resources but could not find available , qualified providers. Principals said their schools needed providers such as therapists, r estorative justice specialists, afterschool program staff, mentors, and volunteer tutors.
• Continue to collaborate with WCCUSD and the Lead Agency to ensure Beacon Director salaries are on par regionally. This helps with job satisfaction, retention, and the overall sustainability of the initiative.
• Help the District streamline the process for approving community partner organizations. Several stakeholders said they would like help from the City with improving and navigating the District's process to approve partners. Several schools had delayed or canceled partnerships because of the slow approval process . Stakeholders see the City as a community schools leader and look to them to guide the District through challenges.
The 2022-23 school year will be the final year of this current grant cycle. One school will have a new Beacon Director, and three schools will have new Principals. The COVID- 19 crisis continues to impact students, families, and school staff. The City of San Pablo, lead agencies, and schools will continue to work in partnership to refine the SPBCSI. This comprehensive continuum of high quality supports will help the children, youth, and families of San Pablo thrive.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Appendix A: City Investments
Strategy Agency Program School Youth
Served Description
Coordination
of
Community
Schools
Bay Area
Community
Resources
(BACR)
Beacon Director*
Dover 526
Beacon staff provided leadership and
implementation of the Beacon
Community Schools strategy.
E.M.
Downer 471
Helms 646
Riverside 323
Bayview 371
Lake 377
Violence
Prevention &
Intervention
Bay Area
Community
Resources
(BACR)
Case Manager*
Dover 526 Provided case management services to
students and families and served on
the school's CARE Team. Bayview 371
Catholic
Charities of
the East
Bay
(CCEB)
Wellness Circles
Richmond
22 CCEB conducted regular wellness
activities, including wellness circles in
RHS Homerooms and weekly Friday
circles.
Familias
Unidas
Counseling &
Case
Management
17 Familias Unidas provided bilingual
(Spanish)/bicultural individual
counseling, family counseling, case
management services, and crisis
intervention to RHS students.
Youth
Development
& Leadership
Bay Area
Community
Resources
(BACR)
Rainbow Alliance Helms 25
An afterschool group that met to
support the Helms LGBTQ
community. The group worked to
create an inclusive environment by
creating school-wide messaging and
events.
Leadership
Club/Student
Council
Bayview 15
Student leadership group that
organizes school-wide activities and
campaigns to build a positive school
culture.
Dover 23
Helms 15
Lake 32
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative: Citywide Summary Prepared by Public Profit | September 2022
Source: Cityspan, City of San Pablo Attendance Records, and CDE’s Dataquest, accessed July 2022. *Youth served numbers for Beacon Director and Case Manager reflect the total number of students enrolled at the school.
Strategy Agency Program School Youth
Served Description
San Pablo Youth
Commission Various 19
Youth leadership and civic
engagement program that unites youth
from different ethnicities, ages, and
schools to increase youth participation
in local government.
Recess Sports
Tournament Dover 45
Sports tournaments during lunch
recess for fifth and sixth grade
students and staff. Sports include
soccer, football, and basketball.
YLD Dragons E.M.
Downer 7 Small youth leadership group that
supports school wide activities.
Afterschool
Sports & Clubs
Bayview
45 Opportunity for students to
participate in clubs,
including Basketball Club, Arts and
Crafts Club, and Movie Club.
Boys Group 38
The spring boys group was a
mentoring and life skills group for
young boys.
Movement with
Ms. Amy Riverside 57
Opportunity for 6th graders to build
community while enhancing their
fitness skills.
BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL PROFILE
51 Students
referred
through CARE
371
Youth benefited
from the SPBCSI 98
Youth in
SPBCSI programs
Health and
Wellness
The Beacon Director refined the Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team to include more teacher voice. The Beacon Director coordinated sports activities during lunch recess to encourage students to be physically active and work together on teams.
Family
Engagement
Family engagement was challenging this year because COVID-19 prevented families from physically entering the campus. Bayview staff engaged families through one - on-one outreach, virtual events, and drive-through celebrations for the kindergarten and sixth grade graduation ceremonies.
School
Culture &
Climate
The Beacon Director coordinated clubs, activities, and events to uplift the school culture and climate. Students participated in clubs including movie, basketball, student council, and arts and crafts. The Beacon Director coordinated several read- ins throughout the year where leadership students from Greenwood Academy High School read to Bayview students.
Bayview Elementary School
2021-22 School Profile
Lead Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
97%
of youth surveyed
feel safe in their
program
93%
of youth say they
learn how to make
goals
83%
of youth report
they try harder in
school
SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 2
Bayview Elementary School Profile
City Investments
Each of the San Pablo schools has a lead agency. The City granted each lead agency staffing and program funding to support the overall implementation of the San Pablo
Beacon Community Schools Initiative at that school site.
Staffing
Beacon Director
The Beacon Director provided leadership and implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools strategy at Bayview. The part-time Case Manager provided case management services to students and families and served on the Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team.
1.5 Full-time positions
Grant Strategy: Coordination of Community Schools
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Programs
Student Council
Youth leadership group that advocates for a positive culture and climate and supports school events and community service activities.
15 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development & Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
“We get to plan things and have fun." — Bayview student “We get to make events that put a smile on others faces.” — Bayview student “[I like that] I can learn.”— Bayview student
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 3
Bayview Elementary School Profile
Afterschool Sports and Clubs
Opportunity for students to participate in clubs, including Basketball Club, Arts and Crafts Club, and Movie Club.
45 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development and Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
“I love [this] program because they take care of me.” — Bayview student “My favorite thing about this program is outside.” — Bayview student “We have fun and she is wonderful.” — Bayview student
Boys Group
The spring boys group was a mentoring and life skills group for young boys. 38 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development and Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 4
Bayview Elementary School Profile
Events
The Beacon Director organized a variety of events throughout the school year to improve school culture and climate and engage with families.
7 Events
177
Average
Student Attendance*
80 Average
Family Attendance*
Sample of 2021-22 Bayview Events
Bayview, Lake, and
Greenwood Read-
In
High School Leadership students from Greenwood Academy virtually read to students from Bayview and Lake. Students chose between four different books.
Black History
Month Read-In
High School Leadership students from Greenwood Academy came to classes to read books about historical African American figures, events related to Black history, or books written by Black authors.
Field Day This event was an opportunity for all students to celebrate the completion of state testing and the first in-person school year following virtual learning.
Students participated in activities such as bubble soccer, slip and slide, water balloon toss, and henna tattoos.
Historically Black
Colleges and
Universities
(HBCU) College
Panel
For Black History Month, the Beacon Director organized a HBCU college panel where 4 college alumni (Howard University, Morehouse College, Alabama State, and North Carolina A&T) discussed HBCUs and higher education.
Source: Cityspan Events data, June 2022. *Averages calculated across events that provided attendance data.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 5
Bayview Elementary School Profile
Youth Outcomes
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive youth development practice. Youth survey data suggest programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies.
Figure 1: Youth felt empowered and supported
Figure 2: Youth developed social competencies
Figure 3: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning
Source: Youth Surveys (N=31), 2021-22. Surveys are from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director.
This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school.
84%
93%
93%
97%
In this program the adults care about me.
In this program I can go to an adult for advice.
I like this program.
In this program I feel safe.
77%
84%
87%
93%
This program I stay away from fights.
In this program I learn how to work out my
problems.
This program has helped me to say “no” to things
I know are wrong.
In this program I learn how to make goals.
55%
77%
77%
83%
This program has helped me to like school more.
This program has helped me to care more about
my school.
This program has helped me to pay attention in
class more.
This program has helped me to try harder in
school.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 6
Bayview Elementary School Profile
Community Schools Coordination
We draw our findings from interviews with the school’s Principal, Beacon Director, and lead agency supervisor, and documents provided by the City of San Pablo.
In the 2021-22 school year, Bayview had a challenging year with several staff vacancies, staff and student absences related to COVID-19, and a Vice Principal transition in the fall. Bayview staff organized sports teams, clubs, and events to uplift the culture and climate.
Health and Wellness
"None of this could be done without the social emotional assistance because we can't teach them if we can't reach them." —Principal
The Beacon Director managed staff transitions
on the Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation
(CARE) team. The CARE team met weekly to
refer students to the appropriate health and
wellness services. Bayview staff and community
partners offered a variety of services this year,
including boys groups, girls groups, and a
learning center for one -on-one academic
support. The Principal and Beacon Director
saw a need for more partners that could provide
social emotional learning support. This year, the
CARE team invited teachers to attend meetings
when their referrals were on the agenda. The Beacon Director said this new process strengthened relationships and communication between teachers and the CARE team.
The Beacon Director coordinated sports activities during lunch recess to encourage students to be physically active and work together on teams. The activities were modeled after the lunch tournaments he ran at Helms Middle School. Students played flag football, basketball, soccer, and kickball. The Beacon Director would like to expand these offerings and find ways to make it more inclusive; not as many girls participated.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 7
Bayview Elementary School Profile
Figure 4: CARE referrals
Students referred
nnnnnnnnnn
School overall
nnnnnnnnnn
59 referrals for
51 unduplicated students
Nearly 5 out of 10 (49%) students
referred were Latinx
Academic/School Needs referrals
were most common
14% of the student
population was referred
Most students referred were in 2nd
grade
Nearly 7 out of 10 students referred
were male
Sources: Cityspan Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) data, July 2022; CDE, DataQuest 2021-22 Enrollment Data, accessed July 2022.
Family Engagement
“I called 50 families on my own to just make sure they were engaged with school and they had what they needed to start the school year off, whether they needed backpacks or any additional resources.”— Beacon Director
Family engagement was challenging this y ear because COVID- 19 prevented families from physically entering the campus. Bayview staff tried creative ways to include families such as a virtual Back to School Night and drive -through celebrations for the kindergarten and sixth grade graduation ceremonies. The Beacon Director said he had the most success with one -on-one outreach to families. At the start of the year, the Beacon Director checked-in with about 50 families that the District identified as needing support. The Beacon Director also facilitate d one-on-one family meetings for students who were chronically absent. The Beacon Director started out meeting with families over Zoom or phone, but later found that some families preferred to meet in-person outside of the school.
The Beacon Director coordinated giveaways from the City including clothing, backpacks, gift cards, and Christmas gifts. Families appreciated these items. The Beacon Director said, “The City always comes through with reliable resources and things that people genuinely want.”
3%
7%
25%
66%
Social
Health
Emotional
Academic
14%
14% 14%
22% 16%
8% 12% 16%
K 1 2 3 4 5 6
Students referred School overall
69%
57%
31%
43%
Students
referred
School
overall
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 8
Bayview Elementary School Profile
School Culture and Climate
“The student clubs have definitely increased the student culture and climate amongst the school...The idea of students being like, ‘Hey, do we have clubs today?’ I think that's a highlight ... A lot of kids don't want to go to school, but they get excited to go to a student club.” — Beacon Director
The Beacon Director coordinated clubs, activities, and events to uplift the school culture and climate. The Beacon Director found staff members to host clubs based on student interests expressed during a survey last year. The clubs included a movie club, basketball club, and arts and crafts club. Students signed up to join during a “club rush” event, and the clubs met twice a month.
Bayview staff held special events that celebrated literacy, diversity, and community . The Beacon Director coordinated several read- ins throughout the year where leadership students from Greenwood Academy High School read to Bayview students. This included a virtual read -in collaboration with Lake Elementary School and an in- person read-in for Black History Month.
Bayview students enjoyed reading with older students and a few even received visits from their older siblings who attended Greenwood.
Bayview staff held two academic activities - a Spellathon and March Math Madness - where students collaborated with their peers to compete against other classrooms. Bayview staff also had a multicultural day where each classroom represented a different country or culture. Students received stamps in their passport as they traveled from classroom to classroom viewing presentations and sampling cultural dishes.
At the end of the year, the Beacon Director coordinated a field day event to celebrate the completion of testing and the end of the first full year of in-person schooling. Student leaders from the Bayview Student Council and Greenwood Academy helped run stations, including a water balloon toss and chalk art.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 9
Bayview Elementary School Profile
Lessons Learned
At the close of the year, the Principal and the Beacon Director offered the following advice for others operating community schools:
• Get out of your office and be more present with students and teachers. • Collaborate with others rather than trying to do everything on your own.
Plans for Next Year
• Secure more outside providers to offer social emotional learning support. • Provide culture and climate professional development for the full staff.
“I do believe next year will
be better because this is the
first year coming out of the
pandemic so we're all a little
wonky and off balance. Next
year will be better overall for
all of our sites. Some of the
things that we did this year
were fun and good. And I
think the kids enjoyed it and
we tried to make the best
out of the limited amount of
resources and things we did
have.” — Beacon Director
DOVER ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL PROFILE
54 Students
referred
through CARE
526
Youth benefited
from the SPBCSI 68
Youth in
SPBCSI programs
Health and
Wellness
Health and wellness was a top priority for Dover leadership. The school has a robust and longstanding Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team to connect students and families to resources. The Beacon Director supported Dover’s COVID-19 testing, vaccine clinics, and communication to families.
Family
Engagement
The Beacon Director and Dover staff found ways to engage families virtually and to offer in-person opportunities when possible. Dover staff held in-person celebrations for the end of the school year, including the Multicultural Health Fair which was co- organized by family volunteers.
School
Culture &
Climate
The Beacon Director supported Dover’s culture and climate by infusing positivity and community into school activities and routines. The school’s Student Council, supported by the Beacon Director and a Dover teacher, hosted several community events including spirit weeks, a winter carnival, and field days.
Dover Elementary School
2021-22 School Profile
Lead Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
99%
of youth surveyed
feel safe in their
program
81%
of youth say they
learn how to make
goals
84%
of youth report
they try harder in
school
SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 2
Dover Elementary School Profile
City Investments
Each of the San Pablo schools has a lead agency . The City granted each lead agency staffing and program funding to support the overall implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative at that school site.
Staffing
Beacon Director
The Beacon Director provided leadership and implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools strategy at Dover. The part-time Case Manager provided case management services to students and families and served on the Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team.
1.5 Full-time positions
Grant Strategy: Coordination of Community Schools
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Programs
Student Council
Youth leadership group that advocates for a positive culture and climate and supports school events and community service activities.
23 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development & Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
“I like being one of the school leaders and helping the school." — Dover student “I like that we help kids and get things down and make new friends and help clean.” — Dover student
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 3
Dover Elementary School Profile
Recess Sports Tournament
Sports tournaments take place during lunch recess for fifth and sixth grade students and staff, where students can play soccer, football, and basketball. 45 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development and Leadership
Agency: BACR
“It's very good exercise and I can hang out with my friends. It's also very, very fun! — Dover student
“What I like the best about the program is that I can play with my friends and I can have fun, that's what matters to me and I can play new sports.” — Dover student “I like that they have sports tournaments, and we have free time on Friday and we can choose our teams and it's fun to play with your friends, and we get excited when you’re about to win.” — Dover student
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 4
Dover Elementary School Profile
Youth Outcomes
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive youth development practice. Youth survey data suggest programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies.
Figure 1: Youth felt empowered and supported
Figure 2: Youth developed social competencies
Figure 3: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning
Source: Youth Surveys (N=71), 2021-22. Surveys are from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director.
This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school.
75%
90%
99%
100%
In this program I can go to an adult for advice.
In this program the adults care about me.
In this program I feel safe.
I like this program.
81%
81%
81%
81%
Because of this program, I learn how to make
goals.
This program has helped me stay away from
fights.
In this program I learn how to work out my
problems.
This program has helped me to say “no” to things
I know are wrong.
74%
80%
84%
84%
This program has helped me pay attention in class
more.
This program has helped me to like school more.
This program has helped me to try harder in
school.
This program has helped me to care more about
my school.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 5
Dover Elementary School Profile
Community Schools Coordination
We draw our findings from interviews with the school’s Principal, Beacon Director, and lead agency supervisor, and documents provided by the City of San Pablo.
In the 2021-22 school year, Dover had several staff vacancies and many staff and student absences related to COVID-19. Despite these challenges, the Beacon Director and Dover staff found ways to bring positivity and connection to students and families. The Dover Principal will transition out of the school this summer and a new Principal will start in the fall.
Health and Wellness
"The implementation of the CARE team has been a big success. We've got a very well organized, cohesive CARE team… It's a very smooth process and I think the students benefit a lot from it." —Principal
Health and wellness was a top priority for Dover leadership. Dover has a robust and longstanding Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team, so students and families were connected to resources promptly throughout the year. The Beacon Director led the CARE team and trained staff on how to make referrals and follow the crisis protocol.
The Beacon Director supported the school’s COVID-19 testing, vaccine clinics, and communication to families. Some families were concerned or confused by the changing COVID - 19 procedures. To address family concerns, the Beacon Director facilitated a community conversation with experts about the safety of vaccines and the importance of testing.
Dover staff wove physical activity and healthy habits into many of the school’s events. The Recess Coach facilitated a “game of the day” to encourage students to learn a new game and be physically active during recess time. All students received a Dover water bottle to encourage them to drink water throughout the day. The Multicultural Health Fair featured physical activities and wellness presentations. The Student Council, with t he support of the Beacon Director and two teachers, held several school-wide field days.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 6
Dover Elementary School Profile
Figure 4: CARE referrals
Students referred
nnnnnnnnnn
School overall
nnnnnnnnnn
56 referrals for
54 unduplicated students
9 out of 10 (94%) students referred were
Latinx
Academic/School Needs referrals
were most common
10% of the student
population was referred
Most students referred were in 1st - 3rd
grade
Nearly 7 out of 10 students referred
were male
Sources: Cityspan Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) data, July 2022; CDE, DataQuest 2021-22 Enrollment Data, accessed July 2022.
Family Engagement
“[There are technical challenges that come with [virtual events].
It's not that families don't want to be part of it, but that access to it is not equitable when we make it online. I'm anticipating that there will be more folks coming in once we make [activities] in person.” — Beacon Director
Historically, Dover families have been very engaged with school activities. This year, family engagement was challenging because COVID-19 prevented families from being on the school
campus for most of the year. The Beacon Director informed families about school events and COVID-19 updates through mass communications and one-on- one conversations. The Beacon Director and Dover staff found ways to engage families virtually and to offer in-person opportunities when possible.
Dover leadership started the year with an informational Back-to-School Night on Zoom. Over 200 families attended this event. In October, the Beacon Director and Dover teachers hosted a virtual family literacy night celebrating Latinx Heritage Month. Teachers highlighted the importance of reading, provided links to online free resources, and guided families in a read-aloud. In the spring, the Beacon Director and Case Manager hosted a series of virtual wellness chats for families. Topics 6%
22%
22%
50%
Health
Emotional
Social
Academic
10%
11%
19% 21% 23%
4%
11% 11%
K 1 2 3 4 5 6
Students referred School overall
65%
52%
35%
48%
Students
referred
School
overall
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 7
Dover Elementary School Profile
included managing stress during the pandemic and the developmental transition from elementary school to middle school.
In April, Dover welcomed families back on campus for the first time. The school’s open house was a hybrid event; some teachers met with families in the classrooms, some met outside, and some met online. Dover staff held in- person celebrations for t he end of the school year, including a culminating event: the Multicultural Health Fair. The Fair celebrated diversity through the arts, performances and physical activities. Families helped organize decorations, activities stations, and food.
School Culture and Climate
“Culture and climate has been an emphasis because coming back from COVID, we wanted our students to have fun at school.” — Beacon Director
The Beacon Director supported culture and climate at Dover by infusing positivity and community into school activities and routines. The Beacon Director played music in the mornings to get students excited for the day. He also coordinated an incentive prize system to support students in the school's expectations of “be safe, be respectful, be responsible .” Students received Paw Print tickets when staff saw them modeling these expectations. Students could redeem the tickets for prizes. This encouraged positive behavior and made many students eager to come to school. The Beacon Director set expectations for lunchtime while he was on cafeteria duty and worked with the Recess Coach to set expectations for recess time. The Beacon Director said this was particularly important because “most conflict happens during recess time.”
Dover’s Student Council, supported by the Beacon Director and a Dover teacher, hosted several community events including spirit weeks, a winter carnival, and field days. Dover families organized some of these events in the past, but this was not possible this year because of COVID -19. The Student Council stepped up to fill this need. The field days included stations with different physical activities, games, and learning opportunities. Each field day was centered around a theme such as Black History Month, Wellness, and Latinx Heritage Month. In June, the Beacon Director organized an end-of-year celebration for the Student Council. Student Council members ate pizza, played games, reflected on the leadership skills they developed over the year, and celebrated the year’s events.
The Beacon Director continued the school’s tradition of hosting read -ins. The read-ins this year included themes for African American, Latinx, Women, and Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Months. Students in third through sixth grade went into the kindergarten through second grade classrooms and read to the younger students.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 8
Dover Elementary School Profile
Lessons Learned
At the close of the year, the Principal and the Beacon Director offered the following advice for others operating community schools:
• Breathe and be patient. Remember we all are struggling. • Your work is not your life. Practice work-life balance.
Plans for Next Year
• Build connection and trust between the new Principal and staff, students, and families. • Increase family engagement opportunities, inclu ding in- person volunteer opportunities.
“My goal is to continue to
support our students in being
present at school.” — Beacon
Director
E.M. DOWNER ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL PROFILE
22 Students
referred
through CARE
471
Youth benefited
from the SPBCSI 7
Youth in
SPBCSI programs
Health and
Wellness
The Beacon Director found ways to support students despite the lack of mental health services on campus. She called the county access line, coordinated with community partners, brought in the School Psychologist when possible, and supported teachers in providing resources to all their students in the classroom.
Family
Engagement
Families were not allowed on campus for most of the year, but staff offered virtual engagement opportunities and in- person giveaways of donated food and supplies.
In May, the Beacon Director held the school’s first in-person event for families, the African American Parent Advisory Council community meeting breakfast.
School
Culture &
Climate
The Beacon Director found ways to build a school-wide sense of community despite the challenges of social distancing. She organized field days, a Holidays Around the World Art Exhibit, an African American Read -In, and a related “Melanin and Music” art contest.
E.M. Downer Elementary School
2021-22 School Profile
Lead Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
100%
of youth surveyed
feel safe in their
program
100%
of youth say they
learn how to make
goals
100%
of youth report
they try harder in
school
SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
INITIATIVE
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 2
E.M. Downer Elementary School Profile
City Investments
Each of the San Pablo Schools has a lead agency . The City granted each lead agency staffing and program funding to support the overall implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative at that school site.
Staffing
Beacon Director
The Beacon Director provided leadership and implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools strategy at E.M. Downer. An intern supported the Beacon Director in collecting data during lunchtime to strengthen Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) interventions in the cafeteria.
1 Full-time position
Grant Strategy: Coordination of Community Schools
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Programs
YLD Dragons
Small youth leadership group that supports school wide activities. 7 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development & Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
“I like this program because I could be free. I can have fun and I can always learn new things.” — Downer student
“The thing I like best is that we get to work together and we learn how to be a leader and to be a better person and I can be honest. They don't judge us.” — Downer student “I like to work, meet other people when I work and I like to make sure to let other people feel safe and fun.” — Downer student
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 3
E.M. Downer Elementary School Profile
Events
The Beacon Director organized a variety of events throughout the school year to improve school culture and climate and engage with parents and families.
9 Events
186
Average
Student Attendance*
Sample of 2021-22 E. M. Downer Events
African American
Read-In
Students were introduced to literature and poetry that highlighted different aspects of African American heritage.
Earth Day Field
Day
Students participated in an outdoor obstacle course in teams made up of their classmates. Afterwards, students used chalk to create playground art.
Staff Wellness
Event
Staff were invited to this holiday luncheon to connect, relax, release, and create after a challenging return to school. The event included lunch and a holiday wreath making activity.
Unified Olympics The Unified Olympics was a field day aligned with the Special Olympics guidelines. The event offered activities for all students no matter their level motor or sensory skills.
Source: Cityspan Events data, June 2022. *Averages calculated across events that provided attendance data.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 4
E.M. Downer Elementary School Profile
Youth Outcomes
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive youth development practice. Youth survey data suggest programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies.
Figure 1: Youth felt empowered and supported
Figure 2: Youth developed social competencies
Figure 3: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning
Source: Youth Surveys (N=5), 2021-22. Surveys are from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director.
This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school.
100%
100%
100%
100%
In this program I feel safe.
In this program the adults care about me.
In this program I can go to an adult for advice.
I like this program.
100%
100%
100%
100%
Because of this program, I learn how to make
goals.
This program has helped me stay away from
fights.
In this program I learn how to work out my
problems.
This program has helped me to say “no” to things
I know are wrong.
100%
100%
100%
100%
This program has helped me to try harder in
school.
This program has helped me to like school more.
This program has helped me to care more about
my school.
This program has helped me to try harder in
school.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 5
E.M. Downer Elementary School Profile
Community Schools Coordination
We draw our findings from interviews with the school’s Principal, Beacon Director, and lead agency supervisor, and documents provided by the City of San Pablo.
E.M. Downer leadership see the community school model as central to the identity of the school.
This year, t he Principal and the Beacon Director participated in learning community cohorts to grow their skills in community resource mapping and family engagement.
Health and Wellness
"I will give our CARE team kudos for the fact that we still are pushing through. We still get creative. We still find resources for students that have been referred." —Beacon Director The Beacon Director continued to hold biweekly Crisis,
Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team and Student Success Team (SST) meetings to connect students to services. It was a challenging year because staff had limited capaci ty to participate in these meetings and the school lost its wellness coordinator and therapist. The Beacon Director had to get creative to find ways to support students without mental health services on campus. She called the county access line, brought in the School Psychologist when possible, and supported teachers in providing resources to all students in the classroom.
In addition to supporting student wellness, the Beacon Director supported staff wellness. The Beacon Director held a special luncheon for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week and a wreath making activity for staff during the holidays. Many staff members attended these events and expressed their appreciation. As the Beacon Director said, “ It's been a tough year. I feel like everybody really needs to be uplifted.”
The Beacon Director onboards the school’s community partners and works closely with partner staff to align goals. This year, the Beacon Director hosted the school’s first luncheon appreciation event for partners. Staff from partner organizations reflected on the year, celebrated success, and planned for the future.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 6
E.M. Downer Elementary School Profile
Figure 4: CARE referrals
Students referred
nnnnnnnnnn
School overall
nnnnnnnnnn
23 referrals for
22 unduplicated students
8 out of 10 (81%) students referred were
Latinx
Academic/School Needs referrals
were most common
5% of the student
population was referred
Most students referred were in 3rd
and 4th grade
Nearly 6 out of 10 students referred
were male
Sources: Cityspan Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) data, July 2022; CDE, DataQuest 2021-22 Enrollment Data, accessed July 2022.
Family Engagement
“We're trying to regain our parent voice. At one time we had it. …We got to a point where we were shut down, nobody was able to come in here. Now we have to figure out a safe way to make a space where people can come in and we all are still safe, and they feel welcomed and they feel a part of our school because their voice is valued here.” — Beacon Director
Families participated in giveaways at Downer throughout the year. White Pony Express provided a weekly food donation program for school families and the community. Families also participated in the City of San Pablo’s Family Giving Tree program, which included backpacks, school supplies, and holiday gifts.
Families were not allowed on campus for most of this year, but Downer staff offered virtual engagement opportunities. Staff hosted regular meetings for the School Site Council (SSC), African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC), and English Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC) parent groups. Family participation was low despite extensive outreach, a challenge experienced by many schools during this pandemic.
In May, the Beacon Director held the school’s first in- person event for families, the AAPAC community meeting breakfast. Students recited poems and staff from the District’s Office of 0%
6%
13%
81%
Social
Health
Emotional
Academic
5%
18%
9%
18% 23% 23%
5% 5%
K 1 2 3 4 5 6
Students referred School overall
55%
52%
45%
48%
Students
referred
School
overall
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 7
E.M. Downer Elementary School Profile
African American Student Achievement gave a presentation and awarded students with achievement certificates. The Beacon Director said, “The kids and the parents who came [to the AAPAC community meeting breakfast] had a good time. It was very nice. One kid said, ‘When are we going to do it again?’… It was definitely impactful.”
E.M. Downer leadership is always trying new ways to engage families. The Principal would like to formalize a program where caregivers can come on campus to volunteer in a way that uses their strengths and supports the school. The Beacon Direct or plans to survey families next fall about their interests and schedules so they can plan events and activities accordingly.
School Culture and Climate
“[For our Holidays Around the World Exhibit] Christmas wasn't the main one. …We treated them all as equals. …Everyone who came in to visit, the first thing they noticed was that it wasn't just red and green. It was powerful. There are all these different colors around holidays, which people don't really see in America very often.” — Principal The Beacon Director found ways to build a school-wide sense of community despite the challenges of social distancing. In collaboration with an Art Teacher, the Beacon Director supported students in creating art for a Holidays Around the World Art Exhibit. Each classroo m took turns visiting the exhibit. The Beacon Director organized an African American Read -In and a related “Melanin and Music” art contest. Students were invited to submit art that related to the metaphor behind the “The Rose That Grew from Concrete” poetry book from the read-in. The student submissions were displayed in the gym as part of an African American exhibit.
In April, the Beacon Director coordinated the first school -wide, in-person activity: an Earth Day field day. Student Ambassadors helped plan and implement an obstacle course that included a sack race, games, chalk, bubble machines, and dancing. The field day was such a success that it led to another field day, the United (Special) Olympics, in June. The United Olympics was an inclusive event with stations that supported students with all skill and capability thresholds. The Beacon Director said the field days “brought a sense of community and normalcy to a year that has been full of changes and challenges.”
E.M. Downer’s Culture and Climate team was not able to meet regularly this year due to COVID- related challenges and changing circumstances. The Beacon Director found opportunities when she could to enhance the school’s Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems.
For instance, due to staffing shortages, the Beacon Director covered cafeteria duty daily and saw that students needed more clarity about behavior expectations during lunchtime. She worked with an intern from the City of San Pablo to collect data to inform conversatio ns around PBIS implementation in the school cafeteria.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 8
E.M. Downer Elementary School Profile
The Beacon Director participated in two learning community cohorts facilitated by the National Education Association (NEA). She grew her skills in community resource mapping and hopes and needs assessments through the NEA cohorts.
Lessons Learned
At the close of the year, the Principal and the Beacon Director offered the following advice for others operating community schools:
• It’s hard to see growth in the moment, but when you look back you can see how much has been accomplished.
• Don’t be so hard on yourself, especially during a challenging year.
Plans for Next Year
• Increase youth leadership opportunities and school-wide activities. • Create events that make all families feel welcomed and a part of the school community. “When we step back from it
all, we realize [the Beacon
Director] has been building
these systems all along and
building the community
schools initiative from the
ground up really. … I think
that E.M. Downer has gotten
a good name for being one
of these schools who has
been persistent and
consistent in building up as a
community school.”
— Principal
HELMS MIDDLE
SCHOOL PROFILE
180
Students
referred
through CARE
646
Youth benefited
from the SPBCSI 40
Youth in
SPBCSI programs
Health and
Wellness
Helms’ strong Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team was well- positioned to address student needs during this challenging year. The Beacon Director coordinated a network of community partners to provide a range of services from enrichments to group support to one-on-one intensive support.
Family
Engagement
Helms staff and families had limited capacity to engage with each other due to COVID-19 and its related impacts and stressors. Helms staff hosted Parents Chats twice a month – virtually on Zoom and in-person on the soccer field. Some families attended the chats earlier in the year, but attendance dwindled as the year went on.
School
Culture &
Climate
The Beacon Director supported the school culture and climate by creating opportunities for students to experience positive engagement and connection.
Helms staff offered 13 enrichment clubs including an Anime Club, Rainbow Alliance, and a Leadership Club.
Helms Middle School
2021-22 School Profile
Lead Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
100%
of youth surveyed
feel safe in their
program
87%
of youth say they are
better at setting
goals
93%
of youth report
they try harder in
school
SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 2
Helms Middle School Profile
City Investments
Each of the San Pablo schools has a lead agency . The City granted each lead agency staffing and program funding to support the overall implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative at that school site.
Staffing
Beacon Director
The B eacon Director provided leadership and implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools strategy at Helms.
1 Full-time position
Grant Strategy: Coordination of Community Schools
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Programs
Leadership Club
Student leadership group that organizes school- wide activities and campaigns to build a positive school culture.
15 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development & Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
“I like being able to have tons of control around events and being able to serve as a way for other students voices to be heard.”— Helms student
“What I like the best is that we get to host school events and get more involved in school.” — Helms student
“I really enjoy being able to plan fun activities and talk without feeling judged.” — Helms student
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 3
Helms Middle School Profile
Rainbow Alliance
Group for LGTBQ+ students and allies to support each other, raise awareness, and organize school-wide campaigns.
25 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development and Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
“I like how I get to be someone that I've hidden away for so long.”— Helms student “I really like how the program is a safe space for people in the LGBTQ+ community.” — Helms student
“I like this program because it feels safe to be around the adults and my friends.” — Helms student
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 4
Helms Middle School Profile
Events
The Beacon Director organized a variety of events throughout the school year to improve school culture and climate and engage with parents and families.
27 Events
259
Average
Student Attendance*
34 Average
Family Attendance*
Sample of 2021-22 Helms Events
Family Information
Night
This information night for rising 7th graders and their families included an opportunity to learn about Helms and its available resources. It also included campus tours.
Halloween Party The lunchtime celebration for all students included a dance party and costume contest.
Teacher
Appreciation
Breakfast
The Beacon Director hosted a breakfast to show appreciation to teachers and to introduce them to the services and supports offered at the Beacon Room.
Women's History
Month
Celebrations
These celebrations took place during two lunch periods including a special lunch served in the cafeteria, music, art, and trivia games.
Source: Cityspan Events data, June 2022. *Averages calculated across events that provided attendance data.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 5
Helms Middle School Profile
Youth Outcomes
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive youth development practice. Youth survey data suggest programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies.
Figure 1: Youth felt empowered and supported
Figure 2: Youth developed social competencies
Figure 3: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning
Source: Youth Surveys (N=15), 2021-22. Surveys are from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director.
This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school. 93%
100%
100%
100%
In this program I can go to an adult for advice if I have a serious problem.
In this program I feel safe.
In this program the adults care about me.
I like this program.
67%
87%
87%
87%
93%
In this program I am better at planning ahead.
In this program I am better at setting goals.
In this program I am better at taking care of
problems without violence or fighting.
This program has helped me to stay away from
violence and fighting.
This program has helped me to say “no” to things
I know are wrong.
73%
80%
93%
100%
This program has helped me to care more about my
school.
This program has helped me to become more
interested in going to school.
This program has helped me to try harder in school.
This program has helped me to participate more in
class activities.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 6
Helms Middle School Profile
Community Schools Coordination
We draw our findings from interviews with the school’s Principal, Beacon Director, and lead agency supervisor, and documents provided by the City of San Pablo. In the 2021-22 school year, Helms leadership prioritized health and wellness and opportunities for positivity and connection.
Health and Wellness
"Our CARE team has been strong for a few years now. At this point in the year we have already reviewed 180 referrals, which is like a third of the school. I think we do a very good job at identifying kids, referring kids, and connecting them with services." — Beacon Director
The strong Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team at Helms was well positioned to address student needs during this challenging year. Under the leadership of the Beacon Director, the CARE team met weekly to triage referrals. The CARE team noted high levels of anxiety and anger among students, and many students struggled to attend school consistently. Despite staffing shortages, the CARE team found ways to address each referral. The Beacon Director coordinated a network of community partners to provide a range of services, from enrichments to group support to one-on-one intensive support. Social workers and mentors from community partners were able to support families and students in crisis with focused services including home visits, mediations, and risk assessments. The Beacon Director would like to enhance progress monitoring systems in the future to learn more about the effectiveness of interventions.
The Beacon Director has cultivated strong systems and a culture where staff know what to do if they are worried about a student. The Principal said that there are never enough therapists for students, but “when our capacity is full, [the Beacon Director] has all these adults who do Check- In/Check-Out or other alternatives to a therapist, and she did a really good crisis management system with a person of the day.”
The Beacon Director coordinated services for students’ physical health as well as mental health.
These services included a mobile dental clinic, COVID- 19 testing, vaccine clinics, and organized sports.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 7
Helms Middle School Profile
Figure 4: CARE referrals
Students referred
nnnnnnnnnn
School overall
nnnnnnnnnn
180 referrals for
159 unduplicated students
8 out of 10 (80%) students referred were
Latinx
Emotional Needs referrals
were most common
25% of the student
population was referred
Most students referred were in 7th grade Nearly 5 out of 10 students referred were male
Sources: Cityspan Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) data, July 2022; CDE, DataQuest 2021-22 Enrollment Data, accessed July 2022.
Family Engagement
“[Family engagement has been hard. We're just now letting parents come back on campus.” — Beacon Director
Helms staff and families had limited capacity to engage with each other this year due to COVID- 19 and its related impacts and stressors. Helms staff hosted Parents Chats twice a month. One chat was held virtually on Zoom and the other was held in-person on the soccer field. These were opportunities for caregivers to ask questions of the Principal and to offer their suggestions for strengthening the Helms community.
Some families attended the chats earlier in the year, but attendance dwindled as the year went on.
The Helms Truancy Team, led by the Beacon Director, noted multiple obstacles to families' involvement in attendance conferences, including caregivers’ demanding work schedules, restrictions that prevented families from coming onto campus, and the digital divide that prevented many caregivers from attending Zoom meetings.
Next year, the Beacon Director hopes to reconvene the parent coffee clubs, create parent affinity events to foster a sense of belonging and partnership, and conduct focus groups or interviews to incorporate caregiver voice in decision making.
11%
21%
30%
38%
Health
Social
Academic
Emotional
25% 51% 49%
7 8
Students referred School overall
48%
52%
52%
48%
Students
referred
School
overall
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 8
Helms Middle School Profile
School Culture and Climate
“One of the highlights on our climate culture front is our leadership club… These kids were some of the happiest, most positive kids and they got into it and they made an investment in the culture.” — Beacon Director
The Beacon Director supported the school
culture and climate by creating opportunities
for students to experience positive
engagement and connection. Helms staff
offered 13 enrichment clubs, including an
Anime Club, Rainbow Alliance, and a
Leadership Club. Based on student and
family input from last year’s Needs and
Hopes Assessment, Helms staff offered
more sports, including a lunchtime sports
program from the City of San Pablo.
The Leadership Club, with the support of the Beacon Director, uplifted student and staff morale with a kindness week, spirit week, teacher appreciation activities, and the first in -person dance in over two years. The Beacon Director called the Leadership Club students the “culture keepers” of the school, stating that they gave students and staff a morale boost.
The Beacon Director supported events throughout the year, including celebrations for Black History Month, Women’s Heritage Month, and Latinx Heritage Month. The year culminated with an 8th grade picnic at Kennedy Grove. Over 200 students attended and enjoyed a day of games, art, food, hikes, and time with friends.
Students and staff needed opportunities for positivity d uring this challenging year. The Principal and the Beacon Director noted that the school’s preventative system of communicating expectations and rewarding appropriate behavior was not as impactful as in previous years.
Students needed many reminders about how to behave at school after being away for so long, and staff were spread thin which made it difficult to invest the time needed into the preventative, universal structures of the school. The Beacon Director said “our PBIS [Positive Behav ior Interventions and Supports] used to be very strong last year. That was one of the systems that weakened, we were forgetting to teach and reward the positive because we were reacting all the time.”
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 9
Helms Middle School Profile
Lessons Learned
At the close of the year, the Principal and the Beacon Director offered the following advice for others operating community schools:
• We need to have humor, flexibility, and kindness; none of us know all that each person is carrying.
• Clear is kind. Staff need to communicate explicit behavior expectations.
Plans for Next Year
• Strengthen Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems to communicate school expectations and reward positive behavior. • Reconvene the Community School Leadership Team with a focus on updating the hopes and needs assessment, reviewing existing data, identifying goals, and implementing an improvement plan.
“From the day I started until
now, we really are still the full
service community school.
We never lost that title, or
that pride or that part of our
school's identity. All the
teachers are bought in. We
have our systems of how we
do it. That's how we roll at
Helms. Everyone knows we
do whatever it takes for a
kid.” — Principal
LAKE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL PROFILE
41 Students
referred
through CARE
377
Youth benefited
from the SPBCSI 32
Youth in
SPBCSI programs
Health and
Wellness
On-campus mental health services were limited due to staff vacancies. The Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team referred students to services offsite or virtually. Additionally, the Beacon Director did one-on-one check- ins with students and supported teachers in offering social emotional resources in their classrooms.
Family
Engagement
Lake staff stayed connected to families this year even though families were not allowed on campus due to COVID-19. Lake staff communicated with families through robocalls, social media, and Class Dojo (the school’s communication platform). The Beacon Director also greeted families at the gate during drop-off.
School
Culture &
Climate
The Beacon Director coordinated several events and activities to enhance the school culture and climate. They continued Lake’s long-standing tradition of read-in events, hosted a staff appreciation week, and supported student leaders in planning a schoolwide carnival.
Lake Elementary School
2021-22 School Profile
Lead Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
100%
of youth surveyed
feel safe in their
program
100%
of youth say they
learn how to make
goals
93%
of youth report
they try harder in
school
SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 2
Lake Elementary School Profile
City Investments
Each of the San Pablo schools has a lead agency. The City granted each lead agency staffing and program funding to support the overall implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative at that school site.
Staffing
Beacon Director
The Beacon Director provided leadership and implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools strategy at Lake.
1 Full-time position
Grant Strategy: Coordination of Community Schools
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Programs
Leadership Group
Youth leadership group that advocates for a positive culture and climate and supports school events and community service activities.
32 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development & Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
“The best thing about this program in my opinion is how supportive everyone is and how much this program has taught me. An example is creativity, strength, kindness, and most importantly, leadership!”— Lake student
“I like meeting new people and making friends. This program expands my creativity.” — Lake student
“This program helps me to be more confident and kind.” — Lake student
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 3
Lake Elementary School Profile
Events
The Beacon Director organized a variety of events throughout the school year to improve school culture and climate and engage with parents and families.
14 Events
309
Average
Student Attendance*
42 Average
Family Attendance*
Sample of 2021-22 Lake Events
5th Annual Latinx
Read-In
Lake's 5th Annual Latinx Read-In focused on books and stories written by Latinx authors and about the Latinx experienced. The whole school attended this event promoting cultural awareness, literacy, and careers.
Asian American
and Pacific
Islander Heritage
Read-In
Members of the community read to different age groups during Lake's second annual AAPI Heritage Read-In. This event promoted literacy, youth leadership, and cultural awareness.
Christmas
Community Staff
Gathering
Teachers, administrators, and office staff gathered for lunch and games.
Whole School
Carnival
The fifth grade leadership group planned and led a carnival for the whole school. It included a ring toss and a soccer match.
Source: Cityspan Events data, June 2022. *Averages calculated across events that provided attendance data.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 4
Lake Elementary School Profile
Youth Outcomes
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive youth development practice. Youth survey data suggest programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies.
Figure 1: Youth felt empowered and supported
Figure 2: Youth developed social competencies
Figure 3: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning
Source: Youth Surveys (N=28), 2021-22. Surveys are from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director.
This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school.
93%
96%
96%
100%
In this program I can go to an adult for advice.
In this program the adults care about me.
I like this program.
In this program I feel safe.
89%
89%
93%
100%
In this program I learn how to work out my
problems.
This program has helped me stay away from
fights.
This program has helped me to say “no” to things
I know are wrong.
Because of this program, I learn how to make
goals.
76%
81%
85%
93%
This program has helped me to like school more.
This program has helped me to care more about
my school.
This program has helped me to pay attention in
class more.
This program has helped me to try harder in
school.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 5
Lake Elementary School Profile
Community Schools Coordination
We draw our findings from interviews with the school’s Principal, Beacon Director, and lead agency supervisor, and documents provided by the City of San Pablo.
In the 2021-22 school year, Lake students, family, and staff experienced challenges related to COVID-19, the substitute teacher shortage, and insufficient on-campus mental health services.
Despite these challenges, the Beacon Director and Lake staff found ways to support students and create community. Lake’s Principal will transition out of the school this summer and a new Principal will start in the fall.
Health and Wellness
"We are still in a pandemic. So that has highly affected our year and my role at the school… Health and wellness has turned into a whole other thing because now it encompasses COVID and our response to COVID over the year. So my role in that lens has changed a lot." —Beacon Director
COVID-19 and staffing shortages impacted health and wellness. The Beacon Director, as part of Lake’s COVID- 19 response team, coordinated COVID- 19 tests, vaccine clinics, and communications to staff and families.
The Beacon Director continued to lead the weekly Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team meetings to connect students with health and wellness supports. Unfortunately, the CARE team faced challenges finding services for students due to staffing shortages. The staff therapist position was vacant, and therapy partner organizations had difficulties getting district approval to come onto campus. As a result, the CARE team referred students to mental health services offsite or virtually, but this did not work for many students and families. To compensate for the shortages, t he Beacon Director did one -on-one check-ins with students during lunch or breaks and supported teachers in offering social emotional resources in their classrooms.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 6
Lake Elementary School Profile
Figure 4: CARE referrals
Students referred
nnnnnnnnnn
School overall
nnnnnnnnnn
44 referrals for
41 unduplicated students
Nearly 9 out of 10 (85%) students
referred were Latinx
Academic/School Needs referrals
were most common
11% of the student
population was referred
Most students referred were in K and
2nd grade
6 out of 10 students referred were male
Sources: Cityspan Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) data, July 2022; CDE, DataQuest 2021-22 Enrollment Data, July 2022.
Family Engagement
“We started coffee chats online with parents. That's
happening once a month and we had 13 parents show up to our first one, which is pretty good considering it was online and it was in the morning. Parents really appreciated that.
We're posting a lot of resources on ClassDojo for parents and we're still hosting our SSC and our ELAC and our
African American parent groups online. They have a pretty good turnout online.” — Beacon Director
Lake staff tried to stay connected to families this year even though families were not allowed on campus due to COVID-19. Lake staff communicated to families through robocalls, social media, and Class Dojo, the school’s communication platform. The Beacon Director also greeted families at the gate during drop-off to check-in and answer any questions.
Lake staff started the year with biweekly , online “Lake Huddles” where families could ask administrators about the school reopening or any other concerns. The Beacon Director and the School Community Outreach Worker facilitated online parent coffee chats throughout the year where families could ask questions and learn about resources.
6%
9%
30%
56%
Health
Social
Emotional
Academic
11%
27%
7%
39%
5%
12% 10%
0%
K 1 2 3 4 5 6
Students referred School overall
63%
49%
37%
51%
Students
referred
School
overall
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 7
Lake Elementary School Profile
The Beacon Director coordinated Student Success Team meetings for families and connected families to resources such as new backpacks, clothes, food, and Christmas gifts. The Beacon Director, who speaks English and Spanish, was a key contact for families who were monolingual Spanish speakers. The Beacon Director also provided interpretation during school -wide family meetings and events.
School Culture and Climate
“We have a leadership program right now that's a collection of kids who have a natural leadership ability, but also kids who have the potential to be leaders. And so it's working in both ways, one steering kids that don't typically get praised for behavior or how they're doing, but have a positive outlet now to lead the school, but also helping to shine a light on the kids that often get missed because the kids with the greater need always get more of the focus.” — Principal
Staff, student, and family morale was strained this year by the pandemic and resulting staff shortages. The Beacon Director coordinated several events and activities to enhance the school culture and climate.
The Beacon Director continued Lake’s long- standing tradition of hosting read -in events. The Beacon Director led four themed read- ins in honor of Black History Month, Latinx Heritage Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Women’s History Month.
During these events, guest speakers from the community read to students via Zoom. The read-ins celebrated literacy, diversity, and storytelling. Additionally, the Lake Beacon Director collaborated with the Bayview Beacon Director on a winter read -aloud by high school students at Greenwood Academy. The event was well atte nded and allowed Lake students to ask high school students about their experiences.
The Beacon Director and the School Community Outreach Worker created several events for staff including a winter social, a wellness week, and an appreciation week. The ev ents included gifts of appreciation and opportunities to build community.
The Beacon Director and the School Community Outreach Worker created two leadership groups:
one for fifth graders and one for sixth graders. Students were selected based on their natural and potential leadership abilities. The fifth graders focused on public speaking and organizing a student- led school carnival. The sixth graders focused on community building and supporting the sixth grade graduation celebration.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 8
Lake Elementary School Profile
Lessons Learned
At the close of the year, the Principal and the Beacon Director offered the following advice for others operating community schools:
• Plan at least three months ahead. Your future self will appreciate not having to make last minute plans.
• Sleep more and practice self-care.
Plans for Next Year
• Broaden the CARE team to involve more teacher input and participation. • Onboard new Principal into the Lake community.
“My dream would be for us
to have some level of mental
health for every child that is
on campus. And so whether
it's the more extreme version
where you need a one-on-
one support, or if you just
need a group check-in that
you get access to once a
week. I know that every child
that touches Lake’s campus
in some way has had an
adverse childhood event and
it is showing up in how they
interact with their peers and
it is showing up in the
classroom. And so being able
to have a targeted space on
campus during their school
day, that targets that need
would be my dream.” —
Principal
RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL PROFILE
26 Students
referred
through CARE
323
Youth benefited
from the SPBCSI 57
Youth in
SPBCSI programs
Health and
Wellness
The Beacon Director focused on school-wide health and wellness. She coordinated cooking classes and activities that combined fitness, team building, and social and emotional learning. The Beacon Director also led a wellness professional learning community for staff members.
Family
Engagement
Riverside staff focused on one -on-one engagement with families needing support rather than school -wide family events and structured activities. Families were not allowed on campus and were still adjusting to students being back at school in- person.
School
Culture &
Climate
Riverside leadership prioritized enrichment opportunities to build a positive school culture and climate. All students participated in enrichment activities from 1 to 3 pm every day. Activities included chess, cooking, yoga, capoeira, sports, art, and dance.
These activities excited students to come to school and helped staff build stronger relationships with students.
Riverside Elementary School
2021-22 School Profile
Lead Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
100%
of youth surveyed
feel safe in their
program
94%
of youth say the
adults care about
them
78%
of youth report
learn how to make
goals
SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 2
Riverside Elementary School Profile
City Investments
Each of the San Pablo schools has a lead agency . The City granted each lead agency staffing and program funding to support the overall implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative at that school site.
Staffing
Beacon Director
The Beacon Director provided leadership and implementation of the San Pablo Beacon Community Schools strategy at Riverside.
1 Full-time position
Grant Strategy: Coordination of Community Schools
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
Programs
Movement with Ms. Amy
An opportunity for sixth graders to build community while enhancing their fitness skills. 57 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Youth Development & Leadership
Agency: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)
“What I like the most about this program that its healthy and you can love school more.” — Riverside student
“I liked that I had movement and exercise. It also helped me get more energy to run.” — Riverside student
“In this program, it has helped me to focus on myself and to stay away from problems.” — Riverside student
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 3
Riverside Elementary School Profile
Events
The Beacon Director organized a variety of events throughout the school year to improve school culture and climate and engage with parents and families.
14 Events
79 Average
Student Attendance*
Sample of 2021-22 Riverside Events
Cupid
Shuffle/Field Day
This event was created to build and support an active school community.
Fall Fest The Student Activity Leadership Team organized this community-building event for the whole school. Activities included a ring toss, chalk art, and pumpkin coloring.
SoccerPalooza SoccerPalooza combined a day of soccer skills with Special Olympics. The second and third grade students came together to learn soccer skills, play games, and build community. Students started the day taking the Special Olympics pledge. Sixth grade students served as junior coaches and helpers.
Staff Wellness This event was part of a Riversi de Professional Learning Community day.
Teachers kicked off the day with a walk and meditation, created mental health folders, and participated in a paint class.
Source: Cityspan Events data, June 2022. *Averages calculated across events that provided attendance data.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 4
Riverside Elementary School Profile
Youth Outcomes
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive youth development practice. Youth survey data suggest programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies.
Figure 1: Youth felt empowered and supported
Figure 2: Youth developed social competencies
Figure 3: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning
Source: Youth Surveys (N=36), 2021-22. Surveys are intended to be from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI or led by a Beacon Director. This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school. Due to a data collection error, Riverside’s survey results include responses from a program outside of the evaluation.
69%
75%
94%
100%
I like this program.
I can go to an adult for advice.
In this program the adults care about me.
In this program I feel safe.
67%
69%
72%
78%
In this program I learn how to work out my
problems.
This program has helped me, say “no” to things I
know are wrong.
This program has helped me stay away from
fights.
Because of this program, I learn how to make
goals.
61%
64%
67%
69%
This program has helped me to like
school more.
This program has helped me to pay
attention in class more.
This program has helped me to care
more about my school.
This program has helped me to try
harder in school.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 5
Riverside Elementary School Profile
Community Schools Coordination
We draw our findings from interviews with the school’s Principal, Beacon Director, and lead agency supervisor, and documents provided by the City of San Pablo.
Riverside leadership prioritized enrichment opportunities to support youth development and build a positive school culture and climate.
Health and Wellness
"We introduced something called mental health folders. The teachers got to complete one for themselves, but it was also something that they could do with students in the classroom.
They could have kids get to make mental health folders. We had things that kids could cut out and track their feelings and other kind of things like that." — Beacon Director The Riverside Beacon Director focused on school- wide health and wellness. She coordinated cooking classes and activities that combined fitness, team building, and social and emotional learning. The Beacon Director led regular yoga classes, reminding students to pause, breathe, and reset.
In November, the Beacon Director led a wellness professional learning community for staff members. Teachers meditated, painted, walked, and created mental health folders for themselves.
Teachers later supported students in creating their mental health folders to track and reflect on their feelings.
The Beacon Director continued to lead Student Success Team meetings and the Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) team to connect students and their families to services. At the start of the year, the Beacon Director met with teachers to review the CARE referral process and discuss strategies for students who might need support. Due to staff shortages, the CARE team was smaller and more informal this year. It was challenging to get everyone together at one time, so the Beacon Director connected with other staff members, such as the school psychologist, school community outreach worker, and the Principal, as needed.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 6
Riverside Elementary School Profile
Figure 4: CARE referrals
Students referred
nnnnnnnnnn
School overall
nnnnnnnnnn
26 referrals for
26 unduplicated students
Nearly 6 out of 10 (58%) students
referred were Latinx
Academic/School Needs referrals
were most common
8% of the student
population was referred
Most students referred were in 3rd and
5th grade
4 out of 10 students referred were male
Sources: Cityspan Crisis, Assessment, Referral, Evaluation (CARE) data, July 2022; CDE, DataQuest 2020-21 Enrollment Data, accessed July 2022.
Family Engagement
“Family engagement has been a little tricky this year so [the Beacon Director] has focused her efforts and energies on some families that we knew needed more support... So
anywhere between like 15 and 20 families, she’s on a
rotation, making sure she's checking in and seeing if they need support… so strategic family engagement that
way.”— Principal
Riverside staff focused on one -on-one engagement s with families needing support rather than school-wide family events and structured activities. Families were not allowed on campus and were still adjusting to students being back at school in-person.
The Beacon Director reached out to families that previously received counseling services to check in about continuing services. She made it easier for students to attend school by helping families sign up for COVID-19 testing, get required vaccinations, and navigate transportation issues. The Beacon Director also connected families to donated goods through the City’s Family Giving Tree Holiday Program, the City’s Back to School Closet, and other community drives.
16%
16%
33%
35%
Social
Health
Emotional
Academic
8%
0%
8%
15%
31%
8%
23%
15%
K 1 2 3 4 5 6
Students referred School overall
42%
57%
58%
43%
Students
referred
School
overall
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 7
Riverside Elementary School Profile
School Culture and Climate
“We give kids opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and learning and understanding in multiple ways. So through art, dance, martial arts, whatever it is, I want us to have multiple avenues for kids to demonstrate learning and in doing so I believe that makes them stronger mentally. And they see themselves as successful, which means that teachers see them differently.” — Principal
Riverside leadership prioritized enrichment opportunities to build a positive school culture and climate. All students participated in enrichment activities from 1 to 3 pm every day. The Beacon Director built partnerships with outside providers to offer activities, such as chess, cooking, yoga, capoeira, sports, art, and dance. The Principal said these activities excited students to come to school and helped staff build stronger relationships with students. Staff used these activitie s to build community, support social and emotional learning, and explore academic concepts outside of the classroom. The Principal and the Beacon Director said it was important for students to have a variety of ways to demonstrate learning. Because of this , students and staff saw themselves and each other differently outside the classroom.
The Beacon Director and sixth graders from the Student Activity Leadership Team (SALT) organized several school- wide events to build community. During the Fall Fest, the SALT group organized a ring toss, chalk art, and pumpkin coloring for the whole school to enjoy. The SALT group also organized Cupid Shuffle activities for Valentine's Day and spirit days throughout the year. In Spring, the Beacon Director partnered with Bay Area SCORES to host
SoccerPalooza, a day celebrating soccer and the Special Olympics.
Student leaders served as junior coaches and helpers.
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative Page 8
Riverside Elementary School Profile
Lessons Learned
At the close of the year, the Principal and the Beacon Director offered the following advice for others operating community schools:
• When you don't maintain systems, there are more crises to attend to. • Find joy where you can.
Plans for Next Year
• Provide small group enrichment opportunities for students who share a common background, language, or experience.
• Improve the CARE team process to be more transparent and include follow -up processes.
“[I wanted to make]
opportunities where kids get
to experience something
different in their school day.
Where they can be different.
If you're not doing
particularly well in the
classroom, you can go
outside and you can do
something that maybe is
physical, or you can play a
game of chess and you can
learn something in a different
way. I see some kids in the
cooking class who struggle in
the classroom with their
behavior and in cooking class
are totally engaged.”
— Beacon Director
RICHMOND HIGH
SCHOOL PROFILE
Richmond High photo from school year, 2019-2020.
110
Training and
coaching
sessions
provided by
CCEB.
1,494
Youth
benefited
from funded
programs
39 Youth in
funded
programs
SPBCSI at
Richmond High
School
The City of San Pablo granted program funding to two community -based organizations, Catholic Charities of the East Bay and Familias Unidas, to implement Violence Prevention and Intervention services at Richmond High School.
Catholic
Charities of the
East Bay
Catholic Charities of the East Bay (CCEB) continued to provide training, coaching, and facilitation services to support the school in implementing restorative practices.
This year, CCEB staff adjusted their model to provide customized restorative practices strategies to each of the school’s four academies.
Familias Unidas
Familias Unidas facilitated one-on-one mental health and case management services to students at Richmond High School. The Familias Unidas therapist’s bilingual ability helped her connect with Spanish-speaking students on a language and cultural basis.
Richmond High School
2021-22 School Profile
Violence Prevention and Intervention Grantee Agencies:
Catholic Charities of the East Bay and Familias Unidas
SAN PABLO BEACON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
INITIATIVE
100%
of youth surveyed
feel safe in their
program
95%
of youth say they
are better at
setting goals
95%
of youth report
they try harder
in school
San Pablo Beacon Community School s Initiative Page 2
Richmond High School Profile
About Richmond High School
Richmond High School is the designated high school for youth in San Pablo. In the 2021-22 school year, the school served 1,494 students. About half of the students are San Pablo residents. Richmond High School’s graduation rate has increased in the past decade from 80% in the 2010-11 school year, to a high of 89% from 2013-15, followed by a decline to 84% in 2021-22. The change in graduation rates over time largely mirrors the district and county trajectories.
Figure 1: Richmond High graduation rates have increased and followed Contra Costa County (CCC) and District (WCCUSD) trends over time
Source: 4-year Graduation Rate data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, July 2022.
The City works to support the District’s Positive School Climate Policy, which includes efforts to reduce suspension rates. The City’s Violence Prevention and Intervention programming at Richmond High School is one of the ways the school supports this effort. Over the past nine years, suspension rates across Richmond High have decreased from 13% in the 2011-12 school year to 5% in 2019-20. 1 1 Suspension data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ 0%
50%
100%
10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 21-22 CCC WCCUSD Richmond
San Pablo Beacon Community School s Initiative Page 3
Richmond High School Profile
This decrease generally follows grade nine through twelve trends at the county level. There were zero suspensions in the 2020-21 school year because of distance learning due to the pandemic.
Figure 2: Richmond High suspension rates have kept pace with Contra Costa County (CCC) and District (WCCUSD) trends over time
Source: Suspension rate data retrieved from: http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/, July 2021
The City’s Violence Prevention and Intervention programming at Richmond High School seeks to help improve school culture and climate, which has been assessed across the District by YouthTruth surveys in the 2018-19 and 2019- 20 school years. According to YouthTruth, the proportion of Richmond students who believe there is at least one adult who would be willing to help with a personal problem decreased slightly between the 2018-19 school year (60%) to 2019-20 (57%), and went from being higher than the District high school average (54%) in 2018- 19 to being slightly below it (58%) in 2019-20.2 On the other hand, the number of students who feel like they are part of the school’s community in the 2019-20 school year (38%) increased from the 2018-19 survey (33%). This increase also reduced the gap between Richmond students’ responses and the average rate for District high school students overall (40% in the 2019-20 school year, 37% in 2018-19).
Spring 2022 data from a student survey for the WCCUSD Communit y Schools Discovery Report showed that more than half of the students said that Richmond High School offers an environment where students feel safe and cared for (56%) and a policy of restorative practices to create an environment of respect and collective responsibility (51%).3
2 YouthTruth student survey results, 2020, Richmond High School and West Contra Costa Unified School District. 3 Survey data provided by the Glen Price Group for the WCCUSD Community Schools Discovery Report Spring 2022. 0%
50%
100%
11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 CCC WCCUSD Richmond
San Pablo Beacon Community School s Initiative Page 4
Richmond High School Profile
City Investments
The City of San Pablo directly contracted with community -based organizations to provide Violence Prevention & Intervention services at Richmond High School . These programs contributed to the school’s overall efforts to reduce violence.
Programs
Wellness Circles
Catholic Charities of the East Bay conducted weekly and biweekly groups to build social skills and social and emotional learning.
22 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Violence Prevention & Intervention
Agency: Catholic Charities of the East Bay
Counseling & Case Management
Familias Unidas provided bilingual (Spanish)/bicultural individual counseling, family counseling, case management services, and crisis intervention to Richmond students. 17 Youth served
Grant Strategy: Violence Prevention & Intervention
Agency: Familias Unidas
San Pablo Beacon Community School s Initiative Page 5
Richmond High School Profile
Youth Outcomes
San Pablo Beacon Community Schools Initiative programs are rooted in positive youth development practice. Youth survey data from Richmond High School suggests programs are helping youth build personal and social competencies.
Figure 3: Youth felt empowered and supported
Figure 4: Youth developed social competencies
Figure 5: Youth demonstrated commitment to learning
Source: Youth Surveys (N=22), 2021-22. Surveys are from programs directly funded by the SPBCSI. This represents a subset of the total programs offered at the school.
90%
95%
100%
100%
In this program I can go to an adult for advice if I
have a serious problem.
In this program the adults care about me.
In this program I feel safe.
I like this program.
76%
89%
95%
95%
95%
In this program I am better at taking care of
problems without violence or fighting.
In this program I am better at planning
ahead.
This program has helped me to say “no” to
things I know are wrong.
This program has helped me to stay away
from violence and fighting.
In this program I am better at setting goals.
90%
95%
95%
95%
This program has helped me to participate
more in class activities.
This program has helped me to try harder in
school.
This program has helped me to become
more interested in going to school.
This program has helped me to care more
about my school.
San Pablo Beacon Community School s Initiative Page 6
Richmond High School Profile
Program Descriptions
Catholic Charities of the East Bay
“Our objective is always to increase school capacity and to support with tools that are going to improve and increase positive school climate.” — Senior Training Specialist, CCEB
Catholic Charities of the East Bay (CCEB) supported the school climate at Richmond High School by facilitating and teachi ng restorative practices to students, teachers, and administrators. This year, CCEB staff adjusted their model based on the Richmond Principal’s request to provide customized restorative practices strategies to each of the school’s four academies. This idea was modeled on the success CCEB had in previous years building staff capacity in the International Academy.
CCEB staff met with each academy lead teacher regularly and provided training and coaching for staff based on the needs of each academy. CCEB st aff provided over 110 training and coaching sessions for staff on integrating restorative practices into classrooms and the school. The trainings covered topics such as Introduction to Restorative Practices and Restorative Discipline. The coaching sessions ranged from one-on-one to department-wide sessions.
CCEB staff supported administrators by serving on the Coordination of Services Team and providing technical assistance and facilitation services on an ad hoc basis. CCEB staff have provided services at Richmond High School for over a decade. During this time, they have seen restorative practices become part of the school culture. The Principal said the use of restorative practices has become what “we expect of adults here on campus.” As the capacity of the staff has grown, they have become more independent at facilitating restorative practices without the support of CCEB , as is the capacity- building model of CCEB. The CCEB Restorative Practices Coordinator said these tools help teachers feel more effective and “the more teachers get into it, the more it has a heavier impact on the school's general climate, because it changes the way we deal with each other.” “Some of the proactive work, like community building and relationship building circles, has created more platforms for teachers to connect with students, which changes the relationship dynamic in the classroom. There's more social capital between teachers and students to resolve challenges and to further build on their relationships and to set relationship boundaries with each other. All of these things contribute to a healthier classroom climate for everybody.” — Restorative Practices Coordinator, CCEB
San Pablo Beacon Community School s Initiative Page 7
Richmond High School Profile
“[CCEB staff] have created relationships on campus where students have come and asked for a circle when they see a problem coming up. The students and the teachers also see them as a means to mediate any violence or any conflict on campus. That's where the circles between students, or students and adults have been very helpful to come up with norms or at least how are we going to treat each other in this enclosed space that is our school.” — Principal
CCEB staff offered wellness circle student groups within each academy. The wellness circle student groups met every other week to build community and develop social and emotional learning skills.
Teachers and staff invited students to join the groups for a variety of reasons including students impacted by violence, students with leadership potential, students who needed more peer connections, and students with budding behavioral issues. The CCEB facilitators also met with students one -on- one if a student needed extra support or was interested in taking on a leadership role in the group.
Students described the wellness circles as safe spaces where they can share their feelings and experiences without being judged. Students said the circles helped them communicate, process emotions, and focus on school.
“[I like] that it is a judgment-free zone and everyone was accepting and listened to each other, everyone felt safe sharing what they wanted.” — Richmond High Student “What I like best about the program is that I'm learning about different ways to handle altercations.” — Richmond High Student
“It helps me do better at focusing on class work and always pushing through.” — Richmond High Student
“We've built our own small community within our groups, and we just hope that they take the tools that we're teaching them and spread it outside of group. And it seems to be working. I've had a lot of students come back and tell me how they've used the tools that we've given them to resolve issues between them and their friends and even at home with their families.” — Restorative Practices Specialist, CCEB CCEB staff said this academy-focused model helped them provide more and deeper capacity building supports to teachers than in previous years, but it was challenging to recruit students for the small groups. CCEB staff had more success with small groups in the past when the groups were specifically focused on supporting African American students.
Plans for Next Year
Next year, CCEB staff will continue to provide training and coaching services to Richmond teachers and administrators. CCEB will return to facilitating focused student groups for African American students. The curriculum was developed in conjunction with the African American studies teacher at Richmond, integrating African American history, current student experience, and restorative practices.
San Pablo Beacon Community School s Initiative Page 8
Richmond High School Profile
Familias Unidas
“In the larger world, it feels like we're climbing up a very tall hill, but we're actually helping these kids that we're seeing. There's just so much need and so much pain. I'm grateful that we can be there for these students.” — Familias Unidas Clinical Director Familias Unidas has provided services at Richmond High School for more than a decade. This year, a Familias Unidas Therapist provided one -on-one mental health and case management services to 14 students. This was the first time services were in-person since the pandemic started. Familias Unidas staff said that students were “so happy to work with the therapists face -to-face again.” This was especially important because students returned from the pandemic with increased anxiety, depressive symptoms, and a sense of isolation. Staff said students “needed that one -on-one support to feel confident that they can rebuild themselves.”
The therapist did individual counseling sessions with students, encouraging their families to participate in sessions when appropriate. The therapist also worked closely with the Richmond High Wellness Center and community partners to refer students and their families to additional resources as needed.
These resources included legal assistance, food pantries, medical care, gang prevention programming, and positive youth enrichment activities. Familias Unidas had a staffing transition in the spring and all students were reassigned to a new therapist. A new Familias Unidas therapist came on campus one day a week to conduct in-person sessions for students with higher needs; other students were offered remote counseling options.
Familias Unidas uses a trauma- informed approach to therapy. The Familias Unidas Therapist aim ed to build trust and create a safe environment where students felt like they could be heard without being judged. She worked collaboratively with students to develop self- care strategies, coping skills, and opportunities to build confidence.
“[I like] that you understand me and it helps me a lot when I'm stressed out and upset with myself and also hearing the words ‘keep going’ and being encouraged to be myself.” — Richmond High Student
“It helps me feel like I'm not alone and to know how to get out of things that aren't good for me.” — Richmond High Student
The services provided by the Familias Unidas Therapist fill an important role at Richmond High School because she is the only bilingual therapist on campus . Her bilingual ability helps her connect with Spanish-speaking students on a language and cultural basis. Unfortunately, there is a long waitlist for their services. The Richmond Principal said, “the need is greater than the support that we have.” “We can't serve the whole school, ” said The Familias Unidas Therapist, “but the people that I'm helping through accessing their personal strengths, their community, their family, and academic resources, you start to see this academic confidence, this increase in caring relationships, this decrease
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Richmond High School Profile
in anger, which builds community in the school, and increases the family communication. …It impacts this child. And when you impact the child, you impact the community.” “If students know there's somebody that's going be able to support them, it creates that next level of connection to the campus. They know there's an adult that if you're not getting the support from home, there's somebody else beyond the teacher and the administration that you can talk to.” — Principal
Plans for Next Year
Next year, Familias Unidas staff will continue supporting Richmond High School students with trauma-informed mental health services. Familias Unidas will have a therapist on campus four days a week once the new clinician is onboarded.