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This presentation is designed for administrators evaluating special education teachers. What are the key elements to successful specialized instruction with high student engagement? Attendees will leave with a framework of how to use the Mass Teachers Evaluation Rubric to guide conversations and support special educators.
Fidgets can be dismissed as toys or distractions, yet all students have sensory needs that influence attention, regulation, and learning. This session reframes fidgets as practical, research-aligned tools that can support both up-regulation (increasing alertness) and down-regulation (reducing stress), helping students access instruction more consistently. This presentation explores the neuroscience of regulation, addresses common concerns about misuse/distractions and fairness, and emphasizes that fidgets are not one-size-fits-all. Effective implementation depends on structure, skill-building, and clear expectations. Participants will leave with actionable guidance for: Establishing norms that differentiate tools from toys; Coaching students in self-awareness and intentional selection; Supporting teachers in setting boundaries without shaming; and aligning fidget use with MTSS and inclusive practice The goal: sensory-smart classrooms that strengthen focus without sacrificing rigor.
This workshop addresses the urgent need for comprehensive school-based suicide prevention strategies to respond to rising rates of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts among youth. Participants will explore the Multi-Tiered Suicide Prevention (MTSP) framework, developed by the Education Development Center (EDC), which offers six key components for effective school-based suicide prevention. This session will include data insights on the framework’s effectiveness, two school district case studies, and practical tools to address youth suicide. Attendees will have the opportunity to complete a portion of the MTSP framework’s environmental assessment and engage in discussions on current strategies to enhance school prevention efforts. We also will discuss SEL and other aspects of upstream prevention in tiers 1-3.
