In order to help us with room locations for each session, PLEASE mark which session you would like to attend, it will help us greatly with room capacities.
Sign up or log in to add sessions to your schedule and sync them to your phone or calendar.
The middle school years are a pivotal time when students either deepen their connection to school or begin to disengage. This session equips educators with practical strategies to build trust, strengthen relationships, and create classrooms where every student feels seen, valued, and capable of success. Participants will learn a clear framework for engaging disengaged or challenging students and guiding them from dependence toward independent learning while fostering a culture of belonging and relational equity.
This course shares the process, purpose, and impact of introducing a service dog into their learning community. Participants will gain an understanding of how to implement a school service dog program—from initial planning & stakeholder buy-in to policies, funding considerations, handler responsibilities, and day-to-day logistics. Beyond the practical, the course highlights the social, emotional, & behavioral benefits for all. Administrators will learn how service dogs can support student regulation, reduce anxiety, foster connection, & contribute to a positive school climate, particularly for students with trauma, special needs, or emotional challenges. This course celebrates the joy a dog brings to campus. Through real-world examples, participants will see how a service dog can become a unifying presence—building relationships, boosting morale, & adding moments of calm & happiness to even the busiest school days.
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.
