Del Amigo High

Alissa Kruse, School Counselor

akruse@srvusd.net

925-479-1215

Hello and welcome to the Del Amigo Counseling page.  I’ve been blessed to be part of Alternative Education since 2015, and working with so many wonderful professionals.  Helping students figure out Alternative Education can work for them is a really fun part of my job.  It’s great to see students thriving in this alternative environment.  Before Venture, I worked overseas at international schools in China, South Korea, and Hong Kong.  Traveling and interacting with different cultures is a favorite pastime of mine along with biking, hiking, yoga, and my dog Toffee.  If our paths cross, I look forward to meeting you and seeing how independent study can work for you. 

I am very excited to join the Del Amigo and Venture community and I am humbled and grateful to work within a school and district so dedicated to the academic success, social emotional well being, and long term growth and success of all students they serve. I spent the majority of my childhood in Southern Illinois, and have always been inspired by my mother who dedicated herself to teaching and supporting students in special education for 37 years. After high school, I moved to New York City and attended New School University. After receiving my Bachelors degree, my heart was set on working in the social work and social justice field. In NYC, I worked with an organization supporting homeless women and children and quickly found my place in supporting adolescents and young mothers experiencing various housing inequities and challenges. This experience solidified my decision to pursue my career in social welfare. Moving to the Bay Area in 2005, I was determined to earn my Masters of Social Work and did so from UC Berkeley in 2008. I have worked in schools ever since and cannot see myself doing this work in any other environment. For the past 15 years, I have had experience working in a school-based environment providing individual, group, and family therapy, as well as supporting students in the milieu and classroom setting. Over the years, I have gained experience in numerous areas of school-based social work including special education, Educationally Related Mental Health Services, restorative justice practices, program development, behavioral support planning, crisis management, building and managing school wellness centers, working with homeless and foster youth students, trauma informed practices, and community building. I obtained my clinical license in 2013 and, as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, clinically supervised mental health programs in schools and supported the clinical supervision of school-based mental health professionals in gaining knowledge, experience, and skills in school social work and clinical therapy. I am a strong advocate for mental health and wellness, harm reduction support and education, social emotional learning, and restorative practices. I'm excited to learn from students, families, and staff about how I can best serve and support the Del Amigo and Venture community. 

I currently live in Oakland with my two children, Desmond (8) and Vivian (6), and our very large and stubborn Bullmastiff, Snickers. We love playing and watching sports (especially soccer), going to parks, gardening, eating ice cream, having arts & crafts nights, hanging out (and eating!) with friends, and building Lego!