Interview with James Wogan, Administrator of School Linked Services

On a Thursday afternoon, in which I had only one hour before I needed to take my son to his saxophone lesson, James Wogan, Administrator of School Linked Services, arrived at my home so that we could have a face-to-face interview for this blog.One hour was not enough time! His passion and enthusiasm is infectious. Here are some highlights from that interview.

For James’ job duties, click here.

What is your official job description?

Mt. Diablo Unified was one of six school districts in the State of California develop Foster Youth Services programs in the 1972-1973 school year. Six schools districts were funded though legislation to provide support for kids in foster care. Foster Youth Services programs were later expanded to County Offices of Education throughout California. The Administrator of School Linked Services was created in part to oversee this valuable program. In 1972-73, 50% of foster youth graduated from high school. In 2009, in California, 50% of foster youth graduated from high school.

So, it’s been the same?

It has been the same. Mt. Diablo Unified, however, has one of the highest, if not the highest graduation rates (94%), attendance rates (95.4%), and the greatest educational success among foster youth in our district. We are fortunate that we have a district Foster Youth Services program.
One of the duties of the Administrator of School Linked Services is to be the foster youth and homeless liaison in our district, as required by Ed Code. Foster Youth Services (FYS) is a very special program. I’m very proud of it. FYS provides enrollment assistance, tutoring, and counseling for foster youth. MDUSD FYS is a strong program. In fact, we are a model program in California. I hired 25 tutors recently for our FYS and homeless program. We have 12 social work and MFT social work interns based at schools. This support goes a long way towards attendance and kids doing well in school.


What do you like about your job?


I love my job – It’s about kids smiling and feeling good about themselves and doing well in school. And we’re all about teachers. I think that if you’re not a teacher in this district, then your job is to support teachers because they provide instruction for our students within positive relationships. Ultimately, we are about high quality instruction for our students. How is it that a school administrator position was invented in the first place? Teachers couldn't teach if they also had to manage the building and the budget, implement laws, provide trainings, promote positive school climate, write grants, address disciplinary issues, and communicate with parents. It’s all about learning. I’ve seen many kids who have overcome major challenges in their lives; kids who have faced significant challenges and found that education has been their path to feeling good about themselves and to their futures.
Foster youth are dear to my heart. I worked with San Francisco Unified School District as a school social worker before coming to MDUSD. I helped to set up a school-based community center at one of the lowest achieving schools in San Francisco and watched it grow and exit program improvement. I also worked with as a psychiatric social worker with the City and County of San Francisco and as child and family therapist in Tokyo, Japan in the 1990’s.

How did you even start in this work? What made you say, “I want to go into school social work and school administration?”

That’s a good question. I didn’t choose this work, it chose me. I felt like it was my calling and I was pulled toward it. The more I started to work with kids facing difficulties in their lives, the greater I found the power of education. After graduating from UC Berkeley with a Master’s in social work, I went to CSU – East Bay’s Educational Leadership / school administration program. I have learned a great deal about educational leadership from other administrators in in Mt. Diablo. I think I’ve learned the most from the children and families we serve. Schools are a natural hub in a community, a powerful place for learning. It’s where kids come every day and where I like to be.

I was a child therapist in Tokyo, Japan for four years. I worked with mostly very wealthy families. When I moved back to the United States in 1996, I became part of two of the most disadvantaged communities in San Francisco, Visitation Valley and Hunter’s Point. There was no light rail at the time. My job became making sure what was available for the wealthy children on the other side of town was also available for kids who didn’t have the same advantages. Social justice, equity, seeing kids do well – it’s very rewarding. Maybe I get more than I give, I think. It’s a job that pays very well, emotionally.

I would like to tell you about the Homeless Outreach Program for Education (MDUSD HOPEP) when we meet again. MDUSD HOPE helps children and families who are legally homeless in our school district. This includes families who lose their homes or apartments and move in or “double up” with another family. Our number of homeless students has more than tripled in the past three years. Last year, we started a gift card, cash donation, and food drive for homeless students. This has been very helpful for some of our neediest families. Food and donations are collected at the District Office at our general counsel’s office with Lori Amenta. Lori took the lead with volunteers from the district office and set up our food donation program to be what it is today. Volunteers box up food that staff, like Child Welfare and Attendance Liaisons (CWAs) and resource workers with MDUSD HOPE bring to families.

I’ve developed partnerships with local universities and public and community agencies to bring services and support to our schools, at no cost to the district. I’m working on a partnership agreement right now to bring free dental services to schools. I’ll tell you more about some of the partnership programs when we meet next time. The services are coordinated at school through something called Coordinated Care Teams.

Thanks for taking the time to interview me.

James C. Wogan, LCSW, PPSC, Administrator, School Linked Services
Mt. Diablo Unified School District
205 Pacifica Ave, Bay Point, CA
(925) 458-6845
woganj@mdusd.k12.ca.us

For more information, please click on the links below:
Foster Youth Services (MDUSD FYS)

Homeless Outreach Program for Education (MSUSD HOPE)

District Coordinated Care Teams,