Empathy in Action: Lessons from the CASCWA conference on reimagining student support

“I realized if you can change a classroom, you can change a community, and if you change enough communities you can change the world.”

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These powerful words are from Erin Gruwell, American teacher and author of the The Freedom Writer’s Diary, who delivered the keynote speech at the 88th Annual State Conference for the California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance. 

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Held in Anaheim on April 28-30, this Southern Section of CASCWA event united 600 leaders and champions of child welfare and school attendance.

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Over three inspiring days, attendees deepened their commitment to building systems rooted in connection, compassion, and community—proving that leading with empathy and centering students is the source of real change. 

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Based on the conference experience, and in the context of Sown To Grow’s partnerships with schools and districts dedicated to these same efforts, here are my final thoughts following the event:

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‍Lesson 1: How to support students' transition from at-risk to authors of their own stories

• Erin Gruwell’s keynote reminded us that every student has a story and our ability to get students to graduation requires us to be avid readers of our students. 
• As we learn about them and make them feel seen, we build a trusting foundation with students where they are more receptive to our support and guidance. 
• When we break down limiting assumptions about what a student is capable of or why they are having challenges in school, we help students feel they can author their own path to success.

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Lesson 2: It takes a village

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• Multiple sessions and awards on model practice for SART/SARB, highlighted the importance of collective effort in addressing absenteeism. 
• Student centered panels should focus on collaborative, solutions-oriented discussions about how to re-engage a student at school and unblock barriers to their attendance. This includes:
  
  • Seeking student perspectives with empathy while holding them accountable to attendance goals
  • Bringing multiple family and community partners that can enable that student’s attendance success
  • Seeking to identify wrap-arround supports from the school site and district that may be necessary to facilitate attendance
• Starting from a place of curiosity and without judgement, empowers students to own their past attendance shortcomings, while developing a plan for the future.

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Lesson 3: Get to the root of things

• Restorative approaches and alternatives to exclusionary discipline came up in several sessions that aimed at keeping our at-promise youth engaged. 
• These sessions emphasized that issues with attendance, behavior, and academic performance often stem from root issues related to students feeling seen and supported at school, so jumping to exclusionary and punitive measures only further breaks that fragile connection between students and school. 
• Instead, fostering belonging and working to address the root causes of student challenges, allows leaders to rebuild a stronger relationship at school, while students get the resource, mental health, and other support they need.

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Overall, the CASCWA conference was a compelling reminder that meaningful progress in education begins with human connection, understanding, and a belief in student-centered practices. Whether through restorative approaches, collaborative attendance interventions, or simply listening to students’ stories, the key is to meet students where they are.

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By working together across roles and systems, schools can create environments where all students feel supported and capable of shaping their own paths to success from classroom to community.

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Interested in free resources to enrich your practice? Click to access some of our favorite CASCWA conference session presentations below:

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