By Poonam Raj Singh, Ed. M, PCC, Resilience Consultation Program Manager
The above picture captures a really happy moment when I realized that I have almost finished two years as a Resilience Consultant at Sunnyvale’s Cherry Chase Elementary School. That was an especially fun morning because S.J. Sharkie, the San Jose Sharks’ team mascot, visited to celebrate a class that earned the top classroom of the month in their Reading is Cool literacy program. The school was bursting with excitement, and the classroom’s teacher had so much pride for his students. I know he has worked really hard with them to keep that love of reading alive.
That morning, I spent a few hours (a little longer than usual) with the three front office staff welcoming everybody to the school. For the first time, I could really appreciate just how many requests and problems they deal with. Who opens your door and how you are greeted says a lot about your house. Anytime you knock on Cherry Chase’s doors, you are welcomed by three smiling faces. No matter what challenges arise, within minutes they have it resolved and continue their interactions with complete professionalism and kindness.
Building Trusted Relationships
It has taken time to build relationships over the past two years. It starts with just a hello in the hallway, which is sometimes returned with a confused look. People may not know initially what a resilience consultant does, and it takes time to get to know the consultant as a person. That means knowing me, Poonam, not the role or the agency. Relationships built on deep, mutual trust must grow on a one-on-one basis, and often slowly. Such deep relationships go beyond small talk and venting, and move into more meaningful conversations around topics such as what makes them come alive, what truly matters to them, what they really want for their lives, or what they want to let go. I consider being allowed into peoples’ worlds the most honorable gift I could ever receive. It gives me purpose, connection and energy every time I am given a glimpse of someone’s authentic self.
Deep Roots
When the yard duty staff show up in the staff room to prepare for the day, I love the energy and flurry of activity in multiple languages that happens! I noticed that there are many mothers who work at the school, either with kids who are current students or with kids who were past students (some even 20 years ago). Much of the Cherry Chase staff have been there for many years; they choose to stay so they can continue to protect what they have. Cherry Chase is truly a community-driven school with deep, lasting roots in the community. Staff often share stories from 15 or 20 years ago. When there are such deep community roots, it really speaks to that community’s resilience - like the ancient oak or redwood trees that persevere through storms and fires.
Caring Connections
I also love the effort people make with each other at Cherry Chase. The Sparkle Committee is always planning amazing things like a phenomenal hot potato bar on St. Patrick’s Day and even a make-your-own ramen bar. It is obvious they took the time to carefully think through all the details rather than just hiring a caterer to check it off their to-do list. These things are offered to the staff with a lot of love.
Grade level teams are very close at Cherry Chase and you can feel the amount of support that team members have for each other. They look out for one another by sending a funny text when it is needed, or by providing support in times of crisis. For example, a grade level lead once asked me to check on a colleague confidentially. The teachers take care of each other, and have in some ways become a buffer from the outside pressures that may exist for teachers.
Strength in Community
Cherry Chase’s administrative team invests a tremendous amount of hard work behind-the-scenes that often goes unnoticed. These two leaders encouraged me to offer two small community restorative circles where we explored what community means to us and how we can stay joyful despite being in a system that is constantly changing with unexpected twists and turns. We explored how even though we exist in the relics and ruins of the American factory model of schooling that has existed for hundreds of years, we can choose to employ connection, empathy and kindness to transform factory school models into places of deep humanity and love. However, we cannot achieve this vision alone and have to move from self-preservation to deep community-care. As writer and activist Adrienne Maree Brown said, “in community, our potential is truly realized. what we have to offer to each other is not merely critique, anger, commentary, ownership and false power. we have the capacity to hold each other, serve each other, heal each other, create for and with each other, forgive each other, and liberate ourselves and each other” (Brown, 2009).
Thank you Cherry Chase for a wonderful two years! I have learned so much from all of you about what it means to be part of a resilient community that isn’t always perfect, but is a beautiful messy work-in-progress that is constantly redefining itself together. There are so many of you I still have to get to know, because again, community takes time. I hope I have been a support to you, and I am grateful for so many of you trusting me and letting me into your world! I truly feel a part of your community. Showing up and seeing the blooming cherry blossoms fills me with joy every time, and I look forward to experiencing this for many years to come!
References
Brown, Adrienne Maree. (2009, July 7). In Relationship with Others. Retrieved from https://adriennemareebrown.net/2009/07/07/in-relationship-with-others/