Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1539593
But an incident that occurred in the midst of my teaching career recalled many of the pained emotions I had experienced as a police officer. Around the middle of my career, a student in my class who had recently graduated was killed by a gang member. He died protecting his brother. He was one of the kindest, most humble students I'd known. He was always the first to pick up my papers when they fell on the floor, and would hold the door open for others with no expectation of a thank you. He was the only student in my class who laughed at my horrible puns. In fondness, I gave him a nickname that stuck in our classroom and even on his football team. His untimely death impacted me heavily, not only because of how unfair it was, but because much like what I experienced in police work, it was too late. An internal question plagued me: Could I have somehow prevented this? The tragedy of my student's death fueled me once again to view urgency in my interactions with students. Yet, I was also forced to accept that my power and influence were limited. At the time, although I still felt I could serve and help people, I was missing an important per- spective that would blossom later in my career. If we don't seek to understand our students as individuals, and if our students don't feel known and valued first, educational content becomes a brick we are throwing at a glass wall. I began to place content in the back seat in favor of "supporting the Whole Child" — a mantra that I did not know at the time was foundational to the community schools model. The concept of the community schools model was transformative for me because the lens through which we view others (not just students) is asset-based. Instruction is focused on student voice and choice, civic engagement, culturally responsive teaching, social emotional learning and collaborative leadership. We believe that students, parents and teachers should all have a representative seat saved for them at the decision-making table. All of this results in stu- dents gaining confidence and establishing ownership over their educational experience. If we know our students first, we can give them an accurate depiction of their best selves; they then feel empowered to discover who they would like to become and how they can impact others. Becoming a part of the community school family transformed the way I see others, and in turn, how I see myself. Importantly, the community school mindset helped me accomplish what I'd wanted to do since I first experienced a desire to work with youth: turn my personal mission from providing help into one of spreading hope. Rather than protect- ing or helping students, our job is to provide tools and create opportunities for them to feel empowered, independent and proud, so they can define success. I have proudly held the position of Commu- nity School Teacher Lead for the past three years. When I compare myself today to who I was when I left police work, I am overwhelmed by the evolution that has taken place. I see students and youth differently. I see our com- munity differently. I even see myself differently. Where fear previously crept in and wanted to swallow me whole during my attempts to protect students, I now choose to see courage, strength and glimmers of hope in who they are now, and who they can become. Students need to have the space and confi- dence to explore who they are and feel valued. Only then will they have the freedom to make decisions that will empower themselves and inspire others. Instead of responding to the sense of urgency to help, we can take bold steps of hope. We can walk alongside them while they lead the way, and if we are fortunate enough to witness it, we can watch them open new windows of hope to let that same light in for others. Anaheim Secondary Teachers Association member and 20-year educator Katrina Joy was a Community Schools Teacher Lead and senior English/Google Project Management teacher at Magnolia High School. This year, she will be an Outreach Teacher at Katella High, another community school in the Anaheim district. Joy is a 2025 winner of NEA Foundation's Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence. " Becoming part of the community school family transformed the way I see others — and how I see myself. The community school mindset helped me turn my personal mission from providing help into one of spreading hope." CTA & Community Schools Our union is committed to helping grow and support California's community schools, a part- nership with the state, school districts, students, families and communities. Community schools' democratic model of shared decision-making ensures all students' needs are addressed so they can thrive, and helps build power with community that leads to a more equitable society. Find information and resources at cta.org/communityschools. 13 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5 Katrina Joy C O M M U N I T Y S C H O O L S