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Dr. Carmen McNeil interacts with Salesian students at a High School Life Skills Program event
Dean of Students

On October 11, our Freshman students participated in lesson four of the High School Life Skills Program, facilitated by Dr. Carmen McNeil. This enriching experience fosters a sense of belonging and sets the stage for their future success.

The High School Life Skills Program not only supports our freshmen students’ social and emotional needs, but it also follows Don Bosco’s preventive system of educative love with reason, religion, and loving-kindness. High School Life Skills consists of nine lessons that are imparted to all freshmen students throughout the school year. Thus far, we have presented three lessons: School 101, Personal Boundaries and Sexual Harassment, and Friendship Goals.

Dr. McNeil is a tenured psychology professor at Diablo Valley College.  As a Facilitator, Educator, and Period of Empowerment™ Guide, she has been a featured speaker for conferences, women’s organizations, and educational institutions.  With a Ph.D. in Psychology and expertise in mental wellness and social behavior, Dr. McNeil pours her 20+ years of teaching and training into helping students develop an equal balance of self-esteem and other esteem.

Dr. Carmen McNeil interacts with Salesian students at a High School Life Skills Program event

 

 

The workshop that Dr. McNeil facilitated is entitled "Harmonizing Perspectives: Music, Diversity and Social Change.” This workshop, which caters to various learning styles (e.g., physical/tactile, visual, social, auditory, verbal), is a culturally responsive approach to fostering inclusion and group cohesion. This type of workshop will teach our students to build good communication skills, increase their sense of belonging, help welcome diversity, work for a common goal, and develop strong leadership.

We offered this same workshop for the first time to the Class of 2027 last year, and based on the responses of the students' evaluations at the culmination of the workshop, we believed it was a success, and decided to invite her again this year.

The following quotes capture the overall positive impact of the experience:
"It was a comfortable space to talk to classmates I usually would not talk to." 

"It made me feel comfortable that we all have a common experience."

"It felt very comfortable and safe."

Should you have any questions about our High School Life Skills Program, please do not hesitate to contact Mariella Nightingale, Dean of Students, via email (mnightingale@salesian.com).

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One of the vans from Salesian's transportation program in front of the school

Did you know?

Salesian is committed in the well-being of our students by providing a safe shuttle transportation service for the upcoming school year. To meet the needs of our commuting and working families, Salesian offers round-trip transporatation to students from:

  • Vallejo-Fairfield-Martinez-Hercules-Pinole areas
  • Berkeley-El Cerrito BART route
  • Pittsburg-North Concord BART Route