Center for Supportive Schools

It has been inspiring to see, hear, and feel Pace Academy's commitment to Peer Group Connection and invite you to read our latest blog post to discover for yourself how this Atlanta-based school has successfully integrated PGC into its school culture for nearly 30 years. As a team of educators and students, they have been creating transformative experiences for their entire school community year after year. Learn about the dedication of the faculty advisors, the impact on student leadership, and how PGC has become a cornerstone of the Pace experience, fostering a strong community and lasting connections. Read more and be inspired: https://lnkd.in/ejiUZ7MQ #PaceAcademy #PGC #WhenStudentsLead #CSS #BacktoSchool

This week's #MeetTheTeamMondays Spotlight is on Dania Flores Sandoval, Student and Family Engagement Coordinator at High School for Teaching & The Professions and PGC Peer Leader alum from Flushing High School. Discover Dania's inspiring journey from outreach participant to PGC peer leader, and how program participation made such an impact, she has been passionately paying it forward in her impactful work at CSS, work with students and educators in one of our NYC community schools. Read Dania's full story at: https://lnkd.in/efbSUVjc

Our summer residential trainings for Peer Group Connection (PGC) have come to a close, and we’re truly inspired by the incredible energy and dedication of all our participants! The retreat space was alive with transformation, growth, and connection—we’ll definitely miss that energy (that is, until the winter 3-day trainings are here)! If your school is ready to experience the impact of PGC, now's the time to sign up for our 2025 cohort. Spaces are filling up fast, so don’t wait to join this life-changing journey!

This week's #MeetTheTeamMondays Spotlight is on Elaina Daves, CSS Program Manager. From her beginnings as a school social worker to making a lasting impact through preventive programs, Elaina's journey is inspiring. Discover how she’s fostering growth, building connections, and supporting students across North Carolina. Dive into her story on our blog! https://lnkd.in/eShVCmSd #CSS #WhenStudentsLead #EmployeeAppreciation #TeamworkDreamwork #OurTeammatesRock #SupportingStudents #ThankYou

Join us all day TOMORROW, August 22nd, on Instagram to hear Franklin High School peer educators share their stories of how CSS's Teen PEP program has made a lasting impact on their lives. From building strong relationships to learning essential life skills, hear directly from these amazing students about how Teen PEP has shaped their high school experience and beyond. As we prepare to welcome a new school year, we reflect back on their amazing words from this past spring. Find us on Instagram @centerforsupportiveschools and get ready to be inspired every hour, on the hour, from 9:00 to 5:00! If you want to see YOUR students reflecting on an impactful program, we are now recruiting schools who want to launch Teen PEP in 2025! Spaces are limited-contact us today! #WhenStudentsLead #ThrowbackThursday #TeenPEP #StudentVoices #FranklinHighSchool

We are thrilled to welcome Kavita Gupta to our Board! As Vice President of Enterprise Digital and Data Solutions at American Express, Kavita brings over 17 years of leadership experience in Data & Analytics, Product Management, and Cloud modernization. Her passion for mentorship, diversity, inclusion, and innovation aligns perfectly with our mission, and we are excited to have her on board. Kavita's global perspective, dedication to driving results, and commitment to collaboration will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve. Outside of her professional achievements, Kavita enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and volunteering in her community. Welcome, Kavita! We look forward to the incredible impact you'll make with us. https://lnkd.in/eCV5trra

This week's #MeetTheTeamMondays Spotlight is on Russel Dunnings, Program Director in our Middle States region. Russel joined CSS after many years at Planned Parenthood, providing peer education programs with a focus on comprehensive human sexuality and reproductive health. Russel knew that providing information alone was not significant method of supporting the learning, decision-making, or behavioral changes among youth. He was drawn to CSS because of the value placed on experiential learning--providing information in a user-friendly format that provided people the opportunity to have an experience, reflect on that experience, and be supported in a strategic process of making informed decisions about how to use that information to guide future experiences, the necessary framework for supporting growth. In his work, Russel values the importance of centering DEIBA. He says, "Treating ALL PEOPLE with EQUITY is essential in creating spaces where we are welcome, have the comfort to truly engage in an experience freely, can learn and share authentically.” Russel was inspired by his first true mentor, the late Dr. Florence Farley, former Dean of the School of Psychology and Faculty at Virginia State University. She was the first person in Russel's academic experience to ask him what he thought about a reading from a textbook and why he felt that way from his own unique life experiences. This was GROUNDBREAKING for Russel. Russel is most proud of becoming a husband and father and being in a stable station in life to support their growth and development. We are so grateful to have Russel's experience, expertise, kindness, and humor on our team! #CSS #WhenStudentsLead #EmployeeAppreciation #TeamworkDreamwork #OurTeammatesRock #SupportingStudents #ThankYou

Missed my session at the Center for Safer Schools RISE Conference? No worries! Dive into my latest blog post, "From Connection to Protection," where I recap the best practices in peer-to-peer mentoring that I shared at the event. It’s a snapshot of how strong student connections can make our schools safer.

We are still in the thick of Peer Group Connection summer residential training season and so moved by the experiences we've had with our participants. Joined by dozens of educators from nearly 20 states across the country, these immersive sessions equip advisors with the skills to implement impactful PGC programs, enhance classroom instruction, and foster positive student interactions community-wide. Knowing the sacrifice it takes to leave home for 4 days, we remain incredibly grateful for our dedicated participants and humbled by their positive feedback! Did you know that 98% of surveyed first year PGC stakeholders highly recommend the program to other schools? We are now recruiting for the 2025-26 school year and spots are already filling up! Reach out to us today to learn more and reserve your place. www.supportiveschools.org #PGC #WhenStudentsLead #GroupStages #TransformationalTraining #Educators #StudentSuccess

This week's #MeetTheTeamMondays Spotlight is on Marlena Carreras, National Trainer. Marlena has been a valued member of our team for 6 years, first serving as a Community School Director in New York City before transitioning a year ago into a National Trainer role, supporting schools in program implementation and facilitating trainings across the country. Outside of CSS, Marlena finds joy in a great circle of friends, a dog who is always excited to see her, and movies, TV shows and books, including a monthly book club with friends that centers Black authors. You can read Marlena's full spotlight at https://lnkd.in/eMpv9-qt #CSS #WhenStudentsLead #EmployeeAppreciation #TeamworkDreamwork #OurTeammatesRock #SupportingStudents #ThankYou