In October 2024, the Communities In Schools (吃瓜tv) network of Washington came together for the first-ever statewide Better Together Conference, a landmark event that brought over 200 passionate site coordinators*, program managers**, and partners under one roof. Held with the generous support of individual donors and corporate partners, this conference represented a powerful step forward in collaboration, learning, and collective action to support students across Washington.听
A Historic Gathering听
The energy in the room was noticeable as attendees, many of whom were meeting face-to-face for the first time, built meaningful connections within and across affiliates. With representation from Benton-Franklin, Spokane, Blue Mountain, South King County, Whatcom-Skagit, and beyond, the event celebrated the diversity and shared mission of the 吃瓜tv network. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants praising the sense of community fostered through connection activities and collaborative learning opportunities.听
Insights and Lessons Learned听
The conference featured dynamic mainstage sessions, breakout workshops, and peer-to-peer discussions that were tailored to various levels of experience.
Highlights included:听
Mainstage Focus: A powerful presentation, thoughtfully led by Maria Garcia and Josh Lott, delved into vicarious trauma and self-care, highlighting the importance of mental health through their lived experiences. In addition, a separate site coordinator panel at the conference was tailored to the needs of 吃瓜tv staff by a dedicated committee of 吃瓜tv team members, ensuring the topics resonated deeply with attendees.听
Breakout Sessions: Attendees explored critical topics such as:听
- Behavior Management: Practical Tier II*** strategies to support students.听
- Family Engagement: Innovative approaches to involving families in school communities.听
- Data Rhythms: Techniques to streamline data usage for impactful storytelling and decision-making.听
- Community Partnerships: Building relationships to strengthen student support systems.听
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB): Creating inclusive environments that foster belonging.听
Survey results revealed that 81% of attendees were school-based staff, with 52% attending their first 吃瓜tv event. Most participants agreed that the sessions were applicable to their work and provided actionable insights to take back to their schools.
“The Better Together Conference provided our network with the space to connect with peers, share best practices, and reflect on the challenges faced every day,” said Grace Fritzke, Program Support Specialist. “The breakout sessions on data management best practices, DEIB for Site Coordinators, and restorative justice, in particular, provided actionable strategies that our staff can take back to their communities.”听
Key Themes and Challenges听
Throughout the event, the challenges facing Washington鈥檚 students and families took center stage. Notable findings from the 2023-2024 school year, shared during the conference, included:听
Mental Health Interventions:听
- 170 mental health referrals听
- 40 suicide interventions and supports听
- 612 counseling and grief supports听
- 51 child abuse/neglect supports听
- 716 other mental health-related supports听
Priorities for Site Coordinators:听
- Addressing basic needs, particularly housing.听
- Supporting mental and behavioral health as top-identified needs.听
- Enhancing family engagement and improving school climates.
Attendees expressed a desire for future conferences to include more connection activities, live audience participation, and tiered breakout sessions to cater to both new and experienced staff.听
“Housing insecurity, mental health, and family engagement are all interconnected issues that we see impacting students every day,” said Erica Lim贸n-Trefielo, Interim State Director. “The discussions at the conference underscored the urgency of these challenges and helped us inform a new legislative strategy.”
Looking Ahead听
The 2024 Better Together Conference reaffirmed the 吃瓜tv network’s commitment to learning and growing together. As we look to 2025, the momentum will continue with plans to host another conference in the fall. Future topics, as suggested by participants, may include restorative justice, trauma-informed care, resource navigation, and strategies to support undocumented families.
This year鈥檚 event showcased what is possible when we come together to share expertise, amplify impact, and build a stronger future for Washington鈥檚 students. With such an inspiring beginning, the 吃瓜tv network is poised to reach even greater heights in the years ahead.
“This conference was just the beginning,” said Nikki Ziegler, Program & Impact Director. “The excitement and connection in the room was undeniable, and I can鈥檛 wait to see how we continue to build on this momentum next year. Topics like restorative justice and trauma-informed care will be critical as we push forward in our mission to support students across Washington.”听
Acknowledgments听
The success of the 2024 Better Together Conference would not have been possible without the support of our donors, corporate partners, and the unwavering dedication of our 吃瓜tv staff across the network. Thank you for making this transformative gathering a reality.听
References听
*A Site Coordinator is the heart of 吃瓜tvWA’s mission to surround students with a community of support. They work directly within schools to connect students and families to resources that address barriers to academic and personal success.
Key responsibilities include:
- Building trusting relationships with students, families, and school staff.听
- Conducting needs assessments to identify challenges students face.听
- Coordinating and delivering services such as academic assistance, mental health support, basic needs (e.g., food and clothing), and family engagement.听
- Developing and implementing individualized student support plans.听
- Monitoring and evaluating student progress toward goals.听
Site Coordinators act as a bridge between the school and community resources, ensuring that every student has access to the tools and support they need to stay in school and achieve in life.
**A Program Manager oversees the implementation and quality of 吃瓜tvWA programs across multiple school sites or districts. They ensure that Site Coordinators and other team members have the guidance, tools, and resources to maximize their impact.
Key responsibilities include:
- Supervising and mentoring Site Coordinators.听
- Developing strategies and frameworks to meet program goals.听
- Managing program budgets and ensuring compliance with funding requirements.听
- Collaborating with school leadership and community partners to align programs with school and district priorities.听
- Collecting and analyzing data to evaluate program outcomes and identify areas for improvement.听
- Supporting professional development and training for staff.听
Program Managers focus on scaling and sustaining the 吃瓜tvWA model, ensuring consistency and effectiveness across all sites they oversee.
***Tier Support Model
Tier I supports are designed for schoolwide impact鈥攏ot just impact on our case-managed students. They鈥檙e designed to affect the school climate and have an impact on the whole school population. Research Suggest that Tier I supports should:
- Reach a minimum of 75% of the students at the school.听听
- Be offered at least 4 times a year to achieve the schoolwide goal.听
Tier II supports are aimed at groups of students with a common need–these groups are made up of case-managed students, and designed to help those students meet the individual goals in their school support plans, aligned with the schoolwide goal. Students usually participate in Tier II supports on a regular basis for a sustained period of time.
Tier III supports are also for our case managed students. We set individual goals with these students aligned with individual student needs and the schoolwide goal. Tier III supports are intensive, designed for the one-on-one setting, and targeted at highly specific needs.