Blain Watson is the Principal at Manuel E. Dominguez High School in the Compton Unified School District. Josh Ochs caught up with him to learn more about how he turned his school around in less than two years while setting leadership goals. He took the 27% absentee rate and was able to lower it to a 9.9% absentee rate.

Blain's Leadership Goals for the Dominguez High School Transformation: 

• Move from a deficit-based thinking model to an asset-based model for all community members
• Create hall-friendly, asset-building adults on campus
• Create school-wide change from the inside-out (student-led change)

Mission. DHS will create an emotionally, intellectually, and physically safe learning environment for all where we equip all students for post-secondary success in a 21st Century global society through cultural relevance, quality instruction, supportive relationships, and exposure to opportunities.   

We at Dominguez High School believe that in order for students to prepare for college, career, and life they must:  

• Love by building a positive community where we are kind and of service to others, we respect everyone, we affirm each other, we keep expectations high for self and others, and we create and keep a safe and clean campus
• Listen to communicate responsibly through empathy and seek to understand before speaking
• Lead by example in and outside of the classroom by taking initiative, following others with integrity, and working together to reach goal
• Learn every day in a new way by being reflective in behavior and learning, making connections, innovating and inventing, and thinking critically to solve all problems 

Recommendations for stakeholders: 

Parent suggestions: 

1. Learn and study your school's social emotional learning strategy 
2. If absent, participate in the process to develop the right social emotional learning strategy 
3. Look for evidence of universal social emotional learning approaches in classrooms and shared spaces on campus 

Admin/Staff suggestions:

1. Model the social emotional learning approach for all stakeholders all the time 
2. Identify social emotional learning best practices on campus - codify and replicate 
3. Write social emotional learning language into your school mission statement and core values