Dear CASCWA Members and Friends,

 

This has been an extraordinarily difficult time for our country as a whole, and our schools and school districts, in particular. 

 

During the past several months, the nation lost over 100,000 people to the COVID-19 virus, and our unemployment numbers skyrocketed to over 20%.  We watched on the news the killing of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. The grief and outrage that we have felt from this racial violence during this time of crisis has accentuated the traumatic repercussions on our students and staff, and heightened our consciousness of personal bias and systemic prejudice against African Americans and other people of color. 

 

As the call for change reverberates throughout society, I think about what I can do to make a difference to promote love and respect and confront racism, hate and unfairness.  That is one of the reasons that CASCWA is so important and why I have valued my involvement.  From addressing the inequity in student discipline, to eliminating the school to prison pipeline, to promoting restorative practices, and preventing discrimination, harassment and bullying, CASCWA strives to promote equity in education. 

 

The voices of our members have been instrumental in helping students through education and confronting disproportionately based on race and other protected classes.  For Southern Section, our primary focus this year will be to bring together speakers and resources to help us in this work in April 2021 at the State Conference in San Diego.  We know that trainings and conferences for school districts will be restricted, but the need for coming together next spring for collective insight and collegial challenge will be more important than ever.  We hope that you will make sure to join us next year for 2020 VISION for Student Services.

 

If you have any suggestions or ideas that could be of benefit to the edification of the professionals in CASCWA and Student Services, please let me and/or other board members of CASCWA know.  We represent all of Southern California, and want to be connected and encouraging in this work.  Ultimately, we want to make a positive difference in the lives of our students.  What a great opportunity we all have!

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Sincerely,

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Rick Riegel

Southern Section President

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A FEW WORDS ABOUT RICK RIEGEL

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Rick Riegel M.A., MFT, PPS is the Administrator of Student Services at the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District.  He started in Placentia-Yorba Linda in January 2015.  Prior to that, he was the Coordinator of Student Services at the Orange County Department of Education for over 5 years and Coordinator of Counseling and Child Welfare and Attendance at Centralia School District for 9 years.  He began his work with youth as a Marriage, Family and Child Therapist and was Director of Outpatient Services at Straight Talk, Inc. during 17 years working there.  He is President of the California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance, Southern Section.  He and his wife Pamela have been married for 40 years and he has 3 grown sons and a granddaughter.

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