At SIATech, collaboration is a key component to successfully operating schools. Community Schools Coordinator, Mr. Martinez, El Centro Independent Study site staff, Ms. Raya and Ms. Sandoval and Indio Independent Study site staff, Ms. Murphy, Mr. Bayron, Ms. Kurto, Ms. De La Cruz and Ms. Soto have been working together to create a safe place for students and staff at their individual schools.
As of last month the individuals have started Men and Women Support Groups at the El Centro and Indio sites. The groups meet twice a month from 4:30 pm-5:30 pm, they begin the meeting together and break off into their own groups if needed. Mr. Martinez shared that students and staff have been attending regularly, “every time we have a session, we have a new student joining our support group, it’s been growing! We have 9 students attending our group at ECIS, and 7 students attending at Indio” said Martinez.
The support group discusses students' personal and academic goals, and focuses on topics such as Resilience, Health, Mindfulness, Life Goals, Social Skills, Relationships and Integrity.
“The students and staff involved are building strong relationships and developing a sense of trust with one another. These groups provide a space where students feel safe to open up, express themselves, and grow in confidence,” said Bayron.
The main purpose of the support groups is to create a safe space for students to talk about difficult topics and provide support for them to meet their academic and life goals.
“One student mentioned that the Support Group is helping them “get out of their shell,” allowing them to build friendships and feel more comfortable in their environment. Another student shared that they feel “safe, comfortable, and secure” in the group. Seeing these changes first hand reinforces why I became a teacher, not just to educate but to guide and mentor students in their personal development,” said Bayron.
This extended learning opportunity is having a strong and positive impact on students. Read some of the incredible things they have to say about the support group so far:
“I am improving slowly on my goals, personally, and academically, as well as learning how to react to things differently and being more resilient with my mind and body.”
“An idea that I learned was to take accountability for your own self and learn to control only what you can control.”
“I understood better the type of goals and hopes I have for this year.”
“Today I learned how to present and we talked about our goals for this year.”
"Academically my goals are improving and I’m close to finishing my high school diploma which makes me so excited!”
“ I feel like having the support groups once a week would be beneficial because it helps me interact with more students and teachers.”
The support group has benefited students and staff as it has allowed them to build stronger relationships. “This group has significantly improved morale among both students and staff. I’m excited to see how the Support Groups continue to grow and make a difference in our students’ lives,” said Bayron.
