Here at DPA, a public middle and high school in Southeast DC, the founding team is always challenging each other to think bolder and bigger.  One question we’ve been asking is “What would it really take to meet the social and emotional needs of all of our students and staff?”

While I started as a founding teacher, today I am the High School Social Worker and Wellness Coordinator, which means I’m responsible for DPA’s overall approach to mental health.  

Our founder, Mashea Ashton, has made improving mental health a priority and empowers me to lead. Her overall direction has been “You have the training. You got this. Do what you need to do.”  

And so I have.  

Here are 5 initiatives we have undertaken to improve mental health:   

“If the adults are okay, the kids will be okay.”

The stressors of teaching are self-evident, but what’s less obvious is that so much of student behavior feeds off the energy of adults. Simply put, investing in the emotional well-being of our teachers is an indirect investment in the health of our students. That’s why we have created a work culture that celebrates self-care and normalizes the use of mental health services, including therapy.  

All of our teachers have free access to therapy, and it’s not uncommon for our teachers to talk about visiting a therapist with the same level of openness as they would about going to the gym or seeing a doctor for a check-up. It’s just part of their self-care routine.  

Offering psychosocial groups at school  

Psychosocial groups are small group sessions where we bring together students with similar concerns in a supportive environment to develop skills in areas such as managing emotions, coping with grief, and building healthy relationships. The groups are facilitated by trained and licensed mental health clinicians and typically meet weekly for 6-8 weeks.  

At DPA, we partner with an outside agency, the WISE Center, that provides counselors to lead groups. In addition, we have built a wonderful relationship with OpenSeat, a platform that provides virtual wellness coaching in individual sessions, as well as in small group sessions. We’ve also been fortunate to continue our partnership with Paving the Way for a second year in a row. Across both our middle school and high school campuses, a total of seven groups have been implemented this year as a result of targeted efforts to increase this capacity.

Expanding access to after-school activities and programs 

We host Parent Cafes, which are monthly meetings dedicated to creating safe spaces for our DPA families and community partners to discuss curated topics such as emotional well-being, raising a family, and advocating for support. At a recent meeting, parents reflected on their childhoods growing up in DC, where they spent their teenage afternoons constantly busy, hanging out in rec centers or boys and girls clubs. The overwhelming consensus was that when young people are busy, they are less likely to get into trouble.  

Students feel a sense of belonging at school. They crave just being around their peers in a safe space that is not an academic setting. 

To give students more after-school opportunities, we decided to build out our sports offerings-including a football program.  

Teaching social-emotional learning 

At DPA, all students take a weekly Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) course. It’s a real class with a real grade that students take seriously. A major part of my job is preparing the weekly lessons. I design the content based on issues our mental health team observes happening around the school. For example, if students are confiding in us about a lot of relationship drama, I might teach a lesson on healthy relationships.  

As DPA evolves from a start-up to a mature organization, I’m pleased to share that we will transition to a new curriculum called Character Strong next school year.   

Bringing compassion to daily interactions 

Many of our kids are hurting, and that’s why it’s our job as adults to always be supportive. None of the ideas above work if there isn’t trust between the child and the adult. Each interaction we as adults have with students matters deeply. 

Throughout an 8-hour school day, educators have so many opportunities to build trust. The foundation of that trust is demonstrating that you care about them.   

Which brings me to my last big idea. It’s a resource that is free.  

More hugs. You can never give enough hugs.

We recently sat down to talk to DPA chemistry teacher Grace Kato. A self-described “introvert”, she talks about how DPA helped her grow as a teacher and as a person, her belief in the power of kindness, and her love of video games, water use, and avocado toast. The conversation has been edited for clarity.

Q: What is your superpower as a teacher? 

Kindness. It’s just who I am, and how I always want to be. You never know what a scholar is going through. I try not to yell. I don’t want a student to ever feel unsafe in my classroom. I want them to relax, to feel comfortable making mistakes, and to just be themselves. It takes them a minute. They are sometimes confused. They’re like “Oh, she’s not mad I dropped the beaker?”  Instead, I’m like “No, just clean it up and get right back to work.” 

Q: What makes DPA special?  

The level of support here is a lot better than in all the other schools where I’ve ever taught. What really makes a school run is the adults and the adult culture. If I have questions, they answer them. If I need support, I get it. The team is organized, which means simple but important things like access to supplies are never an issue. I’m treated like a person.  

Q: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?   

I would be working at a wastewater treatment plant. When I was in the 11th grade, we took a trip to a wastewater treatment plant and a landfill, and it was so cool. We take for granted our access to clean water. Ever since that field trip, I’ve had a passion for water use.  

Q: I hear you love video games.  What are your favorites? 

I tend to play RPGs and turn-based games. I have three older brothers. They played a lot of video games so I grew up watching them play. It’s a great way to connect with people. I’ve made friends online via gaming. There’s a sense of accomplishment when you beat a level along with friends.  Right now I’m playing Final Fantasy 14, which all my students know because I have a poster in my classroom. 

Q: How does the leadership team support you as a teacher?  

I’ve developed skills this year that I wish I had when I started teaching nearly 10 years ago.  The leadership team always gives the “why” and the evidence behind all decisions. Mashea and the other admins go to other campuses, see what is working, and bring back ideas to us.  

Q: What’s your ideal Sunday morning?  

Sleep in, have a hot cup of coffee, walk my dog (a German Shepard Lab mix named Autumn Jane), and then have brunch with a friend.  Like a true millennial, I love avocado toast.

Q: What has helped you grow as a teacher?  

What has helped me most is the actual practice. I’m introverted and shy. One of our school mottos is “we don’t practice on the kids.”  So practicing with other teachers is extremely helpful for me. I’m strong on the content but often need help with delivery.

My previous teaching experience shook me, and honestly, I wasn’t sure I was going to come back to the profession. DPA has built that confidence back up. I’ve grown not just as a teacher but as a person.  

Q: How have you grown as a person? 

As someone who is an introvert, the practice of KLR – Known, Loved, and Respected – has helped me grow my empathy. I’ve seen how that has spilled over into my personal life.  

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?  

I’d like to still be in DC and still be teaching. I really enjoy working with young people and I love science. I’d like to pursue a masters while I’m teaching so that I have a deeper knowledge of my content. I want people to see me and know “she has the credentials, she’s got this.”

We recently sat down to talk to 10th-grade English teacher leader Josh Roe. Last year, his scholars’ growth on the state test was 3 times the citywide average. Josh talks about how DPA has helped him grow as a teacher and as a leader, how one lesson can change the trajectory of a student’s life, and his love of literature and chocolate chip cookies. The conversation has been edited for clarity:

When did you first decide you wanted to become a teacher?

I’m from Alaska. After high school, I went into construction. I wasn’t ready for the rigors of college, and I wanted to start making money and living on my own. I first went to college at 25. I came across a tutoring opportunity at a local charter school. I realized I wanted to be a teacher the moment I started working with kids. Honestly, it was immediate. Working with kids is incredibly rewarding.

Your students demonstrated tremendous growth last year, outperforming the citywide average by 3 times. To what do you attribute your student’s success?

Our students are motivated, hard-working, brilliant, and thrive on teacher feedback. In ELA class we work with a rigorous Common Core aligned curriculum that prepares students for college-level work. I hustle every day to analyze student work in the moment address misconceptions as they arise and clarify using back pocket questions. I created PARCC-aligned questions to provide students with opportunities to grapple with high-level questions on a daily basis, which boosts students’ skills and confidence. Finally, we believe joyful classrooms are thriving classrooms and we always make sure that students are celebrated for their growth and achievement. What gets celebrated gets repeated!

Okay, you’re an English teacher. So what’s your favorite book to teach?

My personal favorite book – the one that got me into literature – is Grapes of Wrath. But my favorite book to teach is Lord of the Flies. There’s just so much symbolism. I’m able to teach philosophy through the lens of characters. I like it when you can use literature as a way to talk about big ideas.

Tell me about a student you have had an outsized impact on?

I recently had a student message me on Facebook to let me know she is now a graduate student at Yale. I taught her 10 years ago, my first year as a teacher. She said there was one day and one particular lesson where I helped her feel comfortable about her identity that changed her life. I would have never had a clue this lesson meant so much to her. You just never know the impact you have on kids.

How is DPA different from other schools you’ve taught at?

Because DPA is a start-up, I’m able to have a direct impact on the culture of the school. Everyone can shape the culture and how it’s implemented day to day because our traditions are not cemented. It’s very empowering to be able to have a hand in making a school what it will become. That power can be scary and unnerving at times. The work is hard, the hours are long, but that mentality helps everyone step up their game.

What do you enjoy most about working at DPA?

DPA lives the mantra of “do whatever it takes.” Our staff goes above and beyond in every way you can think of. We fix things that aren’t working. We problem-solve. A lot of schools talk about a culture of problem-solving. But we actually do it.

How does the leadership team support you as a teacher?

As a teacher, I get at least weekly observations according to a rubric. It’s all transparent. I’ve spent time with my coach going over my rubric. I’ve worked at many charter schools. This is the school where I’ve had the most consistent observations throughout the year.

Also, the school makes sure teachers have the resources they need to teach. If the speakers need to be replaced, or I need more copies of a book, I ask for it and then I get it.

How has DPA made you better as a teacher?

I first learned how to teach in an old-school manner that was not very oriented to social justice. DPA has taught me how to be trauma-informed and how to be culturally responsive in all of my interactions. It takes more skill. It takes more work. DPA has really expanded my toolkit of strategies for how to engage kids who are off-task. I look at every interaction now as an opportunity to either hurt or help a relationship.

How has DPA developed you as a leader?

At DPA, I have been given many opportunities to develop my leadership skills. The nice thing about DPA’s leadership team is I have direct access to everyone, including the CEO. If I have an idea or a plan, I share it with Mashea. And they have supported me in my ambition to develop my leadership skills. They’ve carved out spacefor me to go do observations and academic seminars. Over the summer, I was given the opportunity to be the vice principal of summer school. I got to lead the observation/feedback cycle and share my knowledge as a teacher with the whole team.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I would love to be an instructional coach. I’m passionate about the nerdy academic side of teaching. I love collaborating with teachers about the content. I’ve had a lot of experience and success, and I think helping new teachers would be rewarding.

What is something about yourself that would surprise your students?

I love to bake. I make delicious chocolate chip cookies.

Testimony Delivered to the DC Council – November 8, 2023

Good morning,

My name is Mashea Ashton and I am the founder and CEO of Digital Pioneers Academy, a computer science-focused charter middle and high school in Washington DC.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify this morning. There is no more important issue facing our city than addressing youth violence, and I’m hopeful that this hearing – and the policy discussion it will inspire will lead to positive change.

Unfortunately, I have become all too familiar with the horrific reality of our city’s youth violence epidemic. Last year, we lost four students to gun violence in shootings off campus – Antoine Manning, Jakhi Snider, DeMarcos Pinckney, and Jaylin Osborne.

Our city is in a crisis, and it is our collective responsibility to do more to protect our young people.

In the aftermath of our tragedies, the City provided exceptional services to our school. Counselors helped many members of our community – myself included – process our anger and our grief. And this fall, many of you on this Council visited our campus, which meant a lot to our staff and families as it showed that our city leaders care. Councilmen Phil Mendelson, Kenyan R. McDuffie, Robert C. White, and Charles Allen, thank you.

While we have moved beyond the immediate grief, the pain and trauma remain. We still have siblings of the shooting victims enrolled at our school. And each week comes a new birthday or an anniversary that is impossible to ignore. I attended a vigil for a student who passed one year ago and asked the family what has changed. They still do not feel safe in their community.

At school, our team of caring educators can keep our scholars safe, engaged, and cared for. Outside of the school walls, our influence is limited. But that doesn’t mean we will stop trying. As our City leaders, you can help in this effort.

First, we need to expand after-school programs for youth. In partnership with the Washington Commanders, we launched our first football program this season, and have expanded team sports offerings for both young men and women. We need to make schools community hubs.

Second, mental health counselors are not only needed in a crisis. Public schools need the resources to make mental health services part of the fabric of their school community. This year, we have expanded counseling for young people and the adults in the building and it has made a big difference.

Third, youth in DC need to be occupied with meaningful activities over the summer. Teenagers need opportunities for meaningful work in the summer. And we need to expand Summit Youth Programs and better coordinate services across the city.

I’m an educator of 600 amazing students. Our team of educators would rather spend our time thinking about how to teach them to code, but unfortunately, we don’t have that luxury.

Thank you for the opportunity.

I am humbled to share that I was sworn in on August 23rd to serve on Virginia’s Board of Education.

I have always believed strongly in public service and am honored to give back to the state where I reside. Ever since the news was made public, my friends, family, and colleagues have reached out with questions so I figured I’d answer them publicly in this post.

Q: Will this impact your role at DPA?

A: While I am thrilled to serve as a volunteer on the Board of Education, my priority remains my day job as Founder and CEO of Digital Pioneers Academy in Southeast DC. I remain committed as ever to the students, families, and educators at DPA.

Q: What exactly does the Virginia Board of Education do? 

A: This appointment is a great opportunity for a quick civics lesson. Most K-12 public education policies are determined at the state level, not the federal level. It’s the responsibility of the Board of Education to set policies and guidelines to ensure laws are put into place in areas such as learning standards and high school graduation requirements.

Q: What’s your vision for the State Board? 

A: As the leader of a public charter school in DC, I am intimately familiar with the challenges students are facing today, but I still have more to learn and better understand about education in Virginia. I will spend my first months listening and learning from Virginia educators and my new colleagues on the Virginia Board of Education.

I hope to serve as a voice for ensuring all students, particularly those who have been traditionally underserved, have access to rigorous curriculum and high-quality instruction. And, of course, I’ll continue to be a cheerleader for the power and importance of all middle and high school students having access to computer science to prepare them for success in the modern economy.

I’m excited to get to know my fellow Board members and get to work serving the students of the Commonwealth of Virginia.