CCEA Plus 2025 Surf's Up! Riding the Waves of Opportunity

The Purpose Driven School presentation will focus on the Student Success Academy, which is dedicated to helping at-risk youth, including foster children, those struggling with addiction, and juvenile delinquents. This program specifically targets 7th to 10th-grade students, addressing issues related to behavior, school attendance, and the importance of building positive relationships. Our mission is to assist these students in getting back on track in both their school and home environments. We aim to empower them to overcome challenges and achieve their full potential through tailored support, mentorship, and resources. For high school students, we focus on helping them regain credits and stay on the path to graduation. Together, we can create pathways for success and resilience in their lives, ensuring that they have the tools and support needed to thrive. We want all our students to leave us with PURPOSE (Poise Unity Respect Proud Others Self Excellence).

Learn about how Westbury High School took the "Lemon" of overcrowding and made "Lemonade" by creating a 9th grade experience. See the journey of creating an offsite school building, creating a PLC centered master schedule, motivating a team of teachers, and how the experience positively impacted a cohort of scholars resulting in the highest graduation rates Westbury High School has experienced. This session is beneficial to those who are implementing PLCs, creating innovative master schedules, planning meaningful professional learning opportunities, and building a student-centered team. Teachers, Administrators, School Counselors, and District Leaders are the target audience, while all are welcomed!

The pioneering 9th grade program at Calaveras Hills High School offers a supportive, learning environment that catches students before falling behind at a traditional comprehensive high school.  The cohort model fosters a strong sense of community, allowing students to build lasting peer relationships and progress through their grade-level academic work. The main goal of this program is for students to engage with school in a positive manner through attendance, academics, and relationships. By combining rigorous academic standards with a personalized approach, the 9th grade program ensures that students are on track to meet their educational goals, while also preventing them from experiencing failure or disengagement.

I've seen firsthand the transformative power of a strengths-based rather than a deficit-focused approach. In my presentation, I will emphasize how educators working with continuation school students must cultivate a mindset that recognizes and validates each learner's inherent assets and potential. Too often, these students are viewed through a deficit lens- what they lack rather than what they bring. My journey has shown me that when educators believe in students' capabilities and treat them as whole, complex individuals, this can profoundly impact their self-belief and academic outcomes. I struggled immensely as a continuation high school student, yet I persisted because there were mentors who saw my resilience, drive, and cultural wealth—not just my circumstances. By sharing my story of going from a continuation school student to a doctoral degree recipient, I aim to model how an asset-based approach can empower marginalized learners to defy the odds. I will highlight specific strategies and mindsets that educators can adopt, such as: -Validating students' lived experiences and cultural identities as sources of strength (counterstories) -Nurturing a growth mindset that emphasizes effort, persistence, and the capacity to improve -Providing personalized encouragement and high expectations rather than lowering the bar -Connecting students to their intrinsic motivation and sense of purpose -Fostering learning environments that are inclusive, supportive, and affirming When students feel seen, heard, and believed in, it can catalyze a profound transformation. This is the kind of mindset shift that I think is essential for helping continuation school students realize their full potential. By sharing my counterstory of resilience and success, I hope to inspire the attending educators to recommit to a strengths-based philosophy.