Warning! Editing this pageset section will affect all pages on your website.

Mario Valladolid - Resource Counselor

Mario ValladolidPhoto: Mario Valladolid

[email protected]

 

In August of 2006, Mario A. Valladolid was hired as a school counselor at Montgomery Middle School and then as AB1802 District Counselor supporting students who were academically deficient.  In February of 2007, he was hired as a District Counselor for the Race-Human Relations & Advocacy Department. Since then, he coordinated student groups at various middle schools and high schools through programs like the Círculo de Hombres program for LatinX males and a Diallo Ajamu program for African and African American students.  


In 2011, Mario started volunteering with the College Board on the path to working with the “Young Men of Color” series.  He published a College Board article in their volume one publication: Transforming the Educational Experience of Young Men of Color journal. Twice, he was a panelist speaking about best practices in working with LatinX male students and presented nationally in a Webinar with other professionals recruited by the College Board.


Currently, Mario is working for the Restorative Practices Justice Department for the San Diego Unified School District.  His team works tirelessly to effectively implement restorative justice practices throughout the district. He has helped coordinate and train students to run circles and facilitate restorative conferences (mediations) at various schools. He also trains and facilitates professional development workshops for teachers and other educators on Community Circle Building strategies. In addition, Mario has also been a member of a grassroots organization called Peace Promotion Momentum Team, which sets out to educate community members and create actions to ensure Restorative Justice Practices reduce suspensions, expulsions, and incarcerations in the SDUSD.  He is also a Commissioner for the San Diego Commission on Gang Intervention & Prevention, which he uses to create pathways to help our district & community orgs. support our youth that are affected by street violence.  


In July of 2017, the community and the RJP team worked with the SDUSD Board and Leadership to pass the School Climate Bill of Rights, which led to the creation of the RJP Department.  Mario is currently enrolled in a Restorative Justice Certificate program at the University of San Diego where he is learning about the global social movement of restorative justice in school and the criminal justice systems, as well as learning to develop policy and designing skill-building facilitation strategies for restorative practitioners. He is excited to develop his ability to speak about this work with historical and empirical knowledge.