As families and schools across Santa Barbara navigate a period of heightened uncertainty and family separation, Adelante Charter School said it is deepening its partnership with UC Santa Barbara to strengthen the school’s ability to support students, families and educators.

Recently, two UC Santa Barbara professors from the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education led a professional development workshop for Adelante teachers and staff focused on trauma-informed strategies and creating healthy, safe and supportive school environments.

The workshop was led collaboratively by Jill D. Sharkey in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology, and Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, professor in the Department of Education.

Their expertise provided Adelante educators with practical strategies for responding to students and families experiencing adversity, while strengthening the school’s capacity to remain compassionate, responsive and inclusive, organizers said.

“Teachers are taught protocols, but not necessarily how to deal with the emotions of students or staff when you come face to face with something out of your control,” said Chely Rodriguez the special education director.

“We can’t change what happens beyond the fence, but we can prioritize safety, staff efficacy and responding to the needs of our community, and that is what makes Adelante so special,” Rodriguez said.

Sharkey’s work focuses on preparing the next generation of school psychology leaders and strengthening the connection between research and effective practice in schools.

Her expertise includes how schools and caring adults can respond when students experience adversity, strengthen protective factors and create environments that promote student well-being and engagement.

Sattin-Bajaj’s research focuses on educational access and equity for immigrant-origin youth and historically underserved students.

Her work examines immigration enforcement and its effects on students and schools, family-school relationships, educational equity, and how educators and school leaders can respond to challenging circumstances.

“The need for this work has become particularly personal for the Adelante community,” the school said.

Recently, the father of an Adelante student was taken into immigration custody. The incident has had significant emotional and financial impacts on the family and has also affected members of the Adelante community who have been supporting them.

For Adelante staff, the experience underscored the importance of being prepared to respond thoughtfully and professionally during circumstances for which there is no simple playbook, the school said.

“There is no manual for supporting a family going through something like this,” school leaders said “What we can do is make sure our educators have access to the latest resources, understand trauma-informed strategies and know where to turn for support.

“Our responsibility is to create a safe and supportive environment for our students to learn and our families to feel supported.”

Adelante plans to continue its partnership with Sharkey, Sattin-Bajaj and UCSB to provide additional professional learning and support for Adelante educators.

The collaboration between Adelante and UC Santa Barbara extends beyond the classroom.

Through College Corps, a statewide service program involving California colleges and universities, UCSB students complete 450 hours of community service in areas including climate action, food insecurity and K–12 education.

Adelante welcomed nearly 50 College Corps volunteers for their Volunteer Day who contributed service to beautifying and improving the school campus.

This year, two volunteers will continue working with Adelante throughout the school year to support campus-wide improvement efforts.

“Having two UCSB College Corps volunteers is an incredible gift to our students and school community,” said Holly Gil, learning innovation specialist, “They will spend 15 hours each week supporting students in reading, math, and science while building meaningful relationships.

“They are also serving as role models, showing our students what is possible.”

UCSB’s connection with Adelante students includes opportunities to build relationships with college students and student-athletes.

The UCSB men’s and women’s soccer teams partnered with Adelante to provide an on-campus clinic for students. In addition to developing soccer skills, the student-athletes emphasize collaboration, discipline and goal-setting while serving as role models for Adelante students.

“These efforts reinforce something central to Adelante’s educational mission: creating a strong college-going culture and helping students see higher education as a place where they belong,” the school said.

For Adelante, the relationship with UCSB represents more than a series of individual programs.

“Our partnership with UC Santa Barbara allows us to bring research, expertise, mentorship and service directly into our school community,” said Principal Javier Bolivar.

“Whether it is helping educators understand how to support children experiencing adversity, bringing College Corps students onto our campus or having UCSB athletes mentor our students, these partnerships strengthen our entire school community.” he said.

As Adelante continues to navigate the challenges facing its students and families, the school says its commitment remains clear: to provide a learning environment where every child feels safe, supported, seen and capable of reaching their full potential,” school leaders said.