by Jordan Campbell
It is May 21, 2026. It’s been torrid all week, and I can tell some of our students and teachers are at their wits’ end. With the year coming to a close, staff efforts remain focused on ensuring peace and harmony while our community shows up to school and completes the rest of the year strong. Unfortunately, today resulted in quite a few students going home. Between the fights, small drama pockets, and unmet needs throughout the building, I am watching Alison Schmitt, our 9th-grade administrator & the glue that keeps Padilla together, stretch herself thin in an attempt to show up and address the issues in our building.
Not every day is going to be a great day. Not every mediation is going to result in permanent peace between individuals. With all that said, I am enormously proud of the men and women who work hard to provide our students with a safe, comforting, and occasionally fun learning environment.
It’s been incredibly interesting to watch the multitude of methods our teachers are utilizing to fully engage with our students. Of course, a large chunk of our youth don’t want to be here. Our teachers recognize that and have utilized methods like offering video game interactions related to classroom content, using specific class days just to check in on how everyone is doing, as well as checking in on what they need in order to be successful. It clearly takes a lot of work to establish a curriculum, teach a class, and have enough patience to help regulate our students when they’re in an escalated state. Our teachers do that regularly.
We recognize our SSOs as our first response to physical altercations, making them a huge part of our student support systems. Their roles in the hallways have allowed them to become our students’ “school parents,” relying on them for small check-ins during the day. With those check-ins, our SSOs can access people and spaces in the building that can meet the needs of our students efficiently. And the fact that they’re usually dealing with our students in vulnerable situations can also play a big part in tightening those relationships we’re seeing between security, students, and staff.
I was especially excited about the opportunity to have a Helping Professional team (social workers, counselors, Home Health Aid) made entirely of women. These ladies embody restorative practices, balancing being the “bad guy”, at times calling our students out when they need to be held accountable, while also being at the forefront of planning for celebrations & honoring our scholars’ work efforts. I also recall being assisted on multiple occasions, either in Help Zone mediations and/ or the advocacy of students when the admin is making decisions about next steps for them. If our kids need food, clothes, a shoulder to cry on, best believe these women are getting it done.
I wanted to finish up by describing a space that has become a hub for all students. A space not usually used to chill, to learn, or to discuss better decision-making options. The ISS room staffed by Mr. Al Jackson is unlike any ISS room I’ve ever seen. Mr. Jackson has established such an honorable rapport with our students that ISS doesn’t feel like you’re in trouble. Similar to the HZ, it has become a space our students use to vent to the adults they trust and come up with plans to better communicate with peers and make better choices as they navigate not just our school but our communities.
As I mentioned before, not every day is going to be perfect. Not every interaction will lead to easy, efficient solutions, but I want to personally honor the people who show up with as much care as they possibly can every day and make my job easier just by doing it.
