Welcome to the CDE Fall Conference: Exploring Well-being and Belonging in Colorado! We’re thrilled to have you with us.
Join Us for a Relaxing Evening of Wellness Activities on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2024! NEW THIS YEAR!! We are thrilled to offer a selection of FREE, relaxing and experiential activities before the conference begins! These events are designed to help you unwind, connect with others, and engage in wellness practices. ALL SESSIONS ARE OPTIONAL! Please register for these events in the Special Activities Registration Form (google.com)
We’ve partnered with Ground2Air Productions to offer complimentary professional photography sessions. Please sign up to have your professional headshot https://www.picktime.com/2024CDEConference. Ground2Air Productions will also provide an interactive photo booth and will be capturing moments throughout the conference.
Don’t forget to use #CDEWellbeingConf2024 in your social media posts!
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This presentation will inform coaching and program development efforts in PreK–12 education as it pertains to effective and equity-focused trauma-informed practice implementation.
Presenters will share lessons from a trauma-informed implementation model (tested over time; pre-COVID-19) and align it to the current state of mental health crisis in PreK–12 education. Additionally, current considerations for trauma-informed implementation and coaching in PreK–12 education will also be addressed through best practice protocols, evidence-based models, and relevant coaching tools.
Session Objectives:
Explore educators' personal perceptions of trauma-informed practices
Explore professional and organizational barriers that impact educators’ implementation of trauma-informed practices
Engage with practical tools for coaching and centering educators in trauma-informed implementation
School Psychologist and Assistant Professor, BVSD & Capella University
Marni Choice-Hermosillo, PHD, NCSP, is a licensed school psychologist with 18 years of experience both as a building based psychologist and as an itinerant support partner in the Office of Social/Emotional Learning. This past school year, Marni moved into a Dean of Student Services... Read More →
What does it mean to be a mental health informed educator? Attendees in this presentation will learn about and engage with a mental health informed educator tool. This tool provides staff the opportunity to dive deeper into their current practices and confidence levels with proficiencies related to Mental Health Informed Classrooms. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to utilize with individual staff members, groups, and/or for building professional learning to reflect, plan, and monitor progress on being a mental health informed educator.
Session Objectives:
To discuss mental health informed proficiency indicators for educators.
To engage with a mental health informed educator action planning tool to assist staff in self-reflection on confidence levels, current practices, and goal setting
To propose and adapt processes and progress monitoring related to mental health informed educator action planning and implementation
Youth are reporting elevated mental health concerns, drug and alcohol use, risky sexual behavior, and lack of connection to peers and adults. This is particularly true for youth who identify as LGBTQ+, minority, and/or from poverty. This session will present correlational research between these concepts through youth-reported data. We will discuss how positive youth development (PYD) and social connections can be mitigating factors that promote youth resilience. Youth from a rural, high-poverty, primarily Latinx community will present about their experiences through COVID-19 and how a wrap-around PYD approach has supported their ability to grow and learn through the challenges of the last few years. We will outline how we engaged youth and families to deliver programming that addressed physical, emotional/mental, social, cultural, and academic wellness. We will also present how experiential career learning has helped youth develop positive visions for the future.-
Session Objectives:
After viewing this presentation, participants will be able to explain the relationship between risky youth behavior, mental health concerns, a sense of belonging, and youth resilience.
After viewing this presentation, participants will be able to apply a socio-ecological approach to positive youth development.
After viewing this presentation, participants will be able to identify wrap-around practices that support youth resilience.
Counselor/Grant Coordinator, Center Consolidated Schools, 26JT
Dr. Katrina Caldon-Ruggles, MA, LPC, is a counselor and district MTSS coordinator in the Center Consolidated School District in the town of Center in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. Katrina has been coordinating and providing services focused on the overall health and wellness... Read More →
Physically healthy and resilient students and staff function at their highest level. The American Heart Association helps you create a culture in which health and wellbeing are prioritized. Learn simple ways to support students, their families, and your employees so they can meet your vision for excellence. “We’re glad the AHA provides the body of work that allows us to address physical health and emotional well-being, community safety and preparedness, and provides a shared language that creates permission to take good care of one another while working towards important outcomes.” Kerry Gain, Deputy Executive Director, Academic Services, Austin.
Session Objectives:
Prioritize your wellbeing and become a leader who inspires others to improve their physical, emotional health so your community can function at a higher level.
Help students create wellness habits that build resilience.
Recommendations enhancing preparedness through CPR skills and cardiac emergency response plan.
States are taking a variety of approaches to address the complex issues facing students experiencing homelessness. This presentation will highlight policy reform strategies aimed at removing barriers to the resources and services that many youth encounter so that they can focus on succeeding in school. These reforms include recognizing the role McKinney-Vento homeless liaisons, school counselors, social workers and district staff play in academic achievement of students experiencing homelessness and helping them navigate systems of support.
Session Objectives:
Participants will learn about state policy reforms to address student homelessness and the advocacy necessary to drive that change.
This session delves into the essence of restorative practices applied to leadership, fostering a supportive and accountable school environment. We'll integrate other best practices for leadership to tailor your leadership approach to various scenarios. Join us to revolutionize your leadership style, promoting a culture of compassion, respect, and continuous improvement in educational settings.
Session Objectives:
Understand Restorative Leadership Principles: Participants will learn the foundational principles of restorative leadership, including strategies to foster a culture of accountability, empathy, and respect within school environments.
Develop Effective Leadership Skills: Gain practical skills to apply restorative leadership techniques in daily interactions and decision-making processes to effectively manage teams and resolve conflicts.
Enhance School Culture and Climate: Explore methods to implement restorative practices that promote a positive school culture, improve student behavior, and increase educational outcomes through compassionate leadership.
Executive functioning skills are necessary for success in life and academics. This workshop will demonstrate how executive functioning impacts academics, social and emotional wellbeing, and mental health. Participants will simulate the hardships and frustrations of having an executive functioning deficit and leave with strategies to increase confidence, independence, and the mental health of their students. Investing in students' executive functioning skills can benefit school professionals by reducing stress, improving wellbeing, and fostering a more successful learning experience for all. We invite you to our interactive workshop to problem solve, collaborate and find solutions to the everyday challenges executive functioning deficits bring.
Session Objectives: 1) Discover research-based brain development milestones and best practices for supporting executive functioning skills for neurotypical and neurodivergent thinkers. 2) Experience firsthand why students with executive dysfunction can struggle obtaining academic and emotional expectations. 3) Walk away with three easy-to-use strategies that can be implemented right away.
Cyle Feingold founded Results Learning in 2004 with a mission to help students learn the way they learn best. For the last 20 years, Cyle has been working with children who have been told that they cannot achieve the same things as “normal” kids. Why? Because he was one of them. In... Read More →
Even though there are best practice guides for well-being and mental health, the gap between best practice and implementation is wide. Join us for a panel of real-life school leaders and mental health professionals from across the state that have successfully implemented best practices for social-emotional well-being. Participants will hear school leaders share their experiences of implementing and sustaining novel interventions such as: ensuring students are not disciplined for mental health experiences, using quarterly data analysis for effective PBIS delivery, supporting special populations, truly welcoming all students and reviewing school-wide individual SEL goals.
Session Objectives:
Participants will learn how school leaders have implemented real-life best practices.
Participants will learn how school leaders have navigated barriers to implement best practices for wellbeing.
Mental Health Programs Coordinator, Charter School Institute
Betsy Basch is a triple credentialed & licensed clinician and earned my Bachelor’s in Psychology from Campbell University where I also played softball, and earned my Masters in Professional Counseling and my Doctorate in School Psychology from Argosy University-Phoenix. I’ve worked... Read More →
Educators are some of the most stressed professionals in the US. This is affecting budgets, retention, climate and culture, and student outcomes. We all want students that are mentally and physically well. It is very difficult to achieve that if we don’t prioritize adult wellbeing. This session will outline a research based approach to creating a strategic action plan for staff health and wellness.
Session Objectives:
Participants will understand different ways partners can be leveraged to achieve their health and wellness goals.
Understand how Implementation Science and a Multi-Tiered System of Supports play a critical role in developing a strategic plan for staff wellbeing.
Be given the information necessary for designing a strategic plan that aligns with existing goals and their unique needs.
See examples of two different implementation plans and how they aligned to each district’s goals.
Erin comes to Generation Schools with a passion for coaching and mentoring. She has extensive experience with continuous improvement and school planning, interdisciplinary learning and literacy, and adult learning theory. Prior to joining GSN, Erin worked in Denver Public Schools... Read More →
When Summit County, Colorado was facing a community crisis that was driving its workforce away, Theatre SilCo launched the Vivo program in order to support local families. This is a unique, no cost program that currently supports over 100 families through dual language theater education. The answer to getting it off the ground? A stellar collaborative team and forming viable and sustainable partnerships. During this session, Chris and Sara will walk you through how this initiative came about, how the team found the necessary funding to start and sustain it, and the significant impact on its community.
Session Objectives:
We hope our peers will gain some tools to make a community impact through what we know how to do: theatre!Theatre SilCo would like to serve as a resource to other non-profits who are struggling to or wondering how to want to make a local impact and serve a community through their art form.
In this session, participants will explore the importance of wellbeing and belonging to promote student success in school and life. Additionally, participants will learn about the Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging, a new virtual hub hosted by the Colorado Department of Education, that aims to blend guidance, resources, systems, and best practices to improve outcomes for students, staff, and families across all PK-12 schools in Colorado. We will explore the five features of wellbeing and belonging: safe and welcoming school environments; strong and trusting relationships; support for health and wellbeing; social, emotional, and behavioral competencies; and engaging learning practices.
Session Objectives:
1. Understand how the promotion of wellbeing and belonging helps to ensure that all students achieve high academic standards and gain skills needed to thrive in school and life. 2. Describe the five features of wellbeing and belonging and their alignment with COMTSS, the Colorado Professional Standards, and other frameworks used in school systems throughout Colorado. 3. Identify ways to integrate the five features of wellbeing and belonging into your work so that all students may thrive in school and life.
How do you want your life to look? Manifestation is not about just attracting “things” into your life but rather empowering yourself to live your best life. A vision board can illustrate the person you truly want to become. In this session, we will discuss how vision boarding can support student and employee wellness and then provide time for you to start creating your own individual or team vision board that represents what you hope to achieve this school year. Supplies will be provided. If you have your own supplies or magazines, please bring those, too.
Session Objectives:
(1) Explain what manifesting a vision is and the basic neuroscience behind the effectiveness of vision boards. (2) Identify types of vision boards and when vision boarding may be a useful intervention for student and employee wellbeing. (3) Create a situational vision board that displays your goals for the new school year.
Health Education Services Supervisor, Colorado Department of Education
Kristi Elliott joined CDE in 2017. Prior to coming to CDE, she completed 17 school years at Canon City Schools in multiple roles. Her final position in the district was Regional Wellness Coordinator for Fremont Regional Health & Wellness, serving RE-1, RE-2, and RE-3 School Districts... Read More →
- leave with an awareness of how stress impacts the health, function, memory, performance and perspective of staff and students - and how we can create and foster environments in which stress is negated and buffered through practices and systems that are biologically and developmentally matched to promote regulation and skill building.
At Playworks we believe that play benefits us through our entire lives and is a language that everyone understands. It provides unique skill building opportunities when seen as an intentional time of every day. Our presentation dives into the benefits, barriers, and best practices for incorporating play to support the whole child, highlighting the physical, social, emotional, and academic benefits play provides both students and adults. We address common barriers with practical takeaways on how to combat them in schools and play based programs.
Session Objectives:
Re-inspire a love and interest in play and its value
Verbalize how play contributes to healthy youth development
Apply best practices for facilitating healthy play within their circle of influence
Participants will be introduced to the concept of Educational Journey Mapping as a student and family driven assessment protocol that can build relationships and identify critical barriers to educational success that can be addressed directly at school or through wrap-around services. Having been piloted through a CO Attorney General Office Education and Innovation Grant with justice-engaged students, educational journey mapping is being expanded to additional school settings to identify and address root causes of chronic absenteeism. Join the workshop to test out the methodology yourself and consider how to develop a tool and a process that speaks to attendance barriers in your school or district.
Session Objectives:
Participants will: 1) Leave with an understanding of educational journey mapping as an evidence-based practice to address chronic absenteeism, 2) Possess a greater understanding of student and family perspectives related to common elements and barriers in the educational trajectory of their children, 3) Be prepared to apply your learning to increase student and family belonging.
Wendy began with Generation Schools Network in 2010 as the Rocky Mountain Managing Director and was asked by the Board of Directors to assume the CEO role in 2012. While earning a business degree, her love for education was catalyzed through volunteering to teach a business entrepreneurship... Read More →
Erin comes to Generation Schools with a passion for coaching and mentoring. She has extensive experience with continuous improvement and school planning, interdisciplinary learning and literacy, and adult learning theory. Prior to joining GSN, Erin worked in Denver Public Schools... Read More →
Dive into the statewide Teaching and Learning Conditions Colorado survey data and spend time collaborating on next steps for your work. Learn about statewide trends, ways to approach survey usage, and how to move from results into action. The survey includes a number of questions on student and staff wellbeing, so there are many opportunities to connect to state, district, and local results.
Session Objectives:
How to use perception data in continuous improvement.
How to use data to drive decisions.
How to compare and leverage state, district, and local results.
Program Evaluator, Colorado Department of Education
Greg Nusz, PhD is the Program Evaluation and Data Manager for the School Quality and Supports Division at CDE. His work focuses on using program evaluation strategies to inform continuous improvement of state-, district-, and school-level supports, with a particular concentration... Read More →
Highlights on WSCC in action within Minnesota will be shared at both the state level as well as a case study example from Faribault Public Schools. This session will explore building capacity of supporting the Whole Child with the use of data, aligning with strategic momentum, and engaging wellness committees in ensuring young people are Healthy, Safe, Supported, Engaged, and Challenged.
Session Objectives:
1. Participants will be advance the utilization of the Whole Child framework within their system. 2. Participants will be able to identify and address systemic inequities to enable all students to learn and achieve at high levels.
School Health Coordinator, MN Department of Education
Project Lead for MN in the CDC 2302 Healthy Schools cooperative agreement.Have worked at Minnesota Department of Education as the School Health Coordinator for over 13 years.
This session lays a foundation for educators on why we need to shift our practice to meet the needs of today's students. Using science, participants will understand why this shift needs to happen to regulate and re engage our students. Participants will be armed with research to shift your most vocal staff that are resistent to change by clearly showing why we need to shift our beliefs about how kids learn and behave. You will walk away with ready to implement evidence based universal structures and supports to build agency in our students and staff, resulting in increased job satisfaction and increased learning and growth in our students.
Session Objectives:
Understand, learn and apply supportive environments in your school or classroom to re-engage and regulate students
Learn what positive developmental relationships are and why they are an essential foundation to regulate, engage and build agency in students
Understand how students developmentally learn mindsets, behaviors and skills and what you can do universally to identify lagging skills and implemented universal and targeted interventions so students are able to learn at high levels.
Poetry is more than the literary design to comply to a set of rules or poetic styles. It is undeniably the outpouring of the individual. When participants of poetry have the opportunity to elevate their voice, inevitably there is a stronger sense of self. In addition, communication skills increase allowing the participant of poetry to experience higher levels of positive social interactions. There is a significant amount of data/research that highlights the benefits/positive impact of SEL within poetry. If this is the case, we should see evidence of intentional poetry throughout schools. This presentation combines various poetic styles and music activities to promote cultivate equity, SEL, culturally responsive practices and leadership skills.
Session Objectives:
The participant will learn poetry strategies to promote SEL.
The participant will write a poem implementing poetic techniques.
The participant will review research on SEL within poetry and develop an action plan to best support students' interests/areas of support.
This presentation will include an Opioid Overdose Prevention and Response Training which includes understanding the opioid crisis; youth impact; what are opioids; harm reduction; and reversing an opioid overdose with Naloxone.
Participants will be provided with training slides and facilitator guide, along with other resources, to conduct a training at their school.
1. An understanding of the opioid public health crisis/youth impact 2. Trained in Opioid Overdose Prevention and Response, including Naloxone administration 3. Equipped with resources to help implement an opioid overdose prevention and response training at their school
This engaging session will help participants unlock the potential of school-based out-of-school time (OST) programming to boost wellness and belonging among students and staff, enhancing the culture and connectedness of the school community. We will delve into how OST programs support each of the 5 features of the Landscape of Wellbeing and demonstrate how a focus on quality OST programming can positively impact students, families and staff within a school.
Session Objectives:
Demonstrate the benefits of out of school time programming related to wellbeing and belonging for students, families and school staff
Identify how OST programs can be leveraged to enhance each of the 5 features of the Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging
Give participants tangible next steps to building a culture of OST programming designed to enhance wellness at their school
Out-of-School Time Program Development Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
Cody is an Out-of-school Time Programs and Partnership Specialist at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), supporting the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant program. In this role, Cody supports program quality and compliance among 21st CCLC grantees to ensure high-impact... Read More →
Discover a variety of opportunities in your community to expand the wellness programming for your staff, students, and families. Louie and Jess will share examples on partnering with businesses for free or minimal cost that can impact the physical, social, mental and nutritional health of your school community.
Session Objectives:
Participants will leave with new ideas for partnership for school and/or district wellness programming.
Participants will be able to identify new ideas for partnership for staff, student, and family wellness programming.
Participants will be able to identify at least one program or event they can implement/promote for free or minimal cost.
As educators, we dedicate our lives to the wellbeing and success of our students. But rarely do we take the time to care for ourselves. This presentation will equip you with skills to fill up your own cup, so that you can support the wellbeing of your students without burning out and be a role model for self-care. You will learn a new definition of resilience and how it helps you respond to life’s challenges, why it’s so important to maintain your energy, and how to work with negative self-talk so that you don’t reach a state of overwhelm.
Session Objectives:
(1) What resilience really is and how it helps you respond to life's challenges (2) How to work with negative self-talk so that you don't reach a state of overwhelm (3) The importance of maintaining your own energy and a personalized plan to create resilience
Lex is the co-founder of Live Big Community, an organization that supports both education staff and students in building confidence, resilience, and self-leadership skills. She is a counselor by training with a speciality in trauma and child and adolescent development.Lex's personal... Read More →
Educators know that safe learning environments lead to higher student outcomes. However, with the ever changing field of school safety it can be hard to keep up with best practices and legislation. This session will help attendees gain a better understanding of the Office of School Safety and the resources available throughout the state. We will also discuss recent legislation and grant opportunities available to schools.
Session Objectives:
1. Participants will have a better understanding of the Office of School Safety and the resources available. 2. Participants will gain knowledge around recent school safety legislation 3. Participants will gain knowledge around school safety grants and events available to them
The training will explore the fundamentals of preventing school violence by emphasizing the creation of systems and structures essential for positive school environments. Participants will engage in a collaborative session to identify, integrate, and align evidence-based school violence prevention strategies (e.g., inclusive discipline practices, bullying prevention, proactive social-emotional and positive behavioral supports).
Session Objectives:
1. Explore elements of school safety plans in Colorado and how they connect to school climate improvement. 2. Describe school violence prevention and corresponding evidence-based practices. 3. Consider the contextual variables as well as the systems and structures necessary to effectively integrate and align school safety efforts.
COMTSS Specialist/Rti & PBIS Integration Coordinator, Colorado Department of Education
Lynne DeSousa is a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Specialist and the Response to Intervention (RtI) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Integration Coordinator for the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). With more than 28 years in education, she has... Read More →
COMTSS Specialist / Statewide Bullying Prevention Manager, Colorado Department of Education
Dr. Adam Collins is a COMTSS Specialist and the Statewide Bullying Prevention Manager in the Office of Learning Supports. Prior to joining CDE in 2016, Dr. Collins served as a K-5 school psychologist in the Adams 12 School District. He received his doctorate degree from the University... Read More →
COMTSS Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
Meghan Statton, MSW, is a COMTSS Specialist with the Office of Learning Supports. Meghan has worked in education for the last 17 years, and her background in mental health, educational leadership, and program development provide her with a unique lens through which she views her work... Read More →
Discussing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has encountered various challenges across Colorado and throughout the United States. Unfortunately, it has been subject to misconceptions, including confusion with Critical Race Theory and unfounded associations with certain agendas (including those who advocate for LGBTQ+ rights). Addressing SEL has thus become increasingly complex. However, we aim to offer adaptable approaches endorsed by statewide organizations, tailored to your school community's values.
Session Objectives:
Participants will receive practical tools to navigate these discussions effectively
Participants will learn different options when addressing the terms of Social Emotional Learning programming.
Participants will learn techniques to calm high conflict conversations around Social Emotional Learning.
Attendees will gain an understanding of the overarching need for comprehensive sex education (CHSE), and youth disparities as it relates to their sexual health outcomes particularly for LGBTIQA+, BIPOC, disabled youth, youth survivors of sexual violence, and those traditionally left out of sex education. They will also learn the need for anti-racist and anti-oppressive CHSE and strategies for implementing it in the classroom. Lastly, folx will walk away with recognizing CHSE as a multi-prong approach to addressing suicide prevention, substance use, mental health, and sexual violence among other critical factors that impact young people and hence their health outcomes.
Session Objectives:
1. Promote and encourage conversation around the value in promoting work around anti-racist and anti-oppressive sex education in schools and districts in Colorado 2. Speak to and discuss the value in leveraging data collection opportunities and efforts to speak to diverse and critical issues in sex education 3. Discuss CHSE as an approach for addressing suicide prevention, substance use, mental health promotion, sexual violence, etc.
Evaluator (Statistical Analyst), Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Lilian Chimuma, PhD., is a mixed methods evaluator and researcher with a passion for translating research to practice in interdisciplinary contexts for nuanced and complex problems. Lilian is currently supporting efforts around equitable evaluation and research practices in data collection... Read More →
Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education (CHSE) Program Coordinator, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Deja Moore (She/Her), Afro-Hispanic Trans Woman of Color, was born and raised in the Thornton and Northglenn, CO area and now lives in Denver. She serves as the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education (CHSE) Program Coordinator... Read More →
Boulder Valley School District presents the structural framework to incorporate the skills and knowledge of the school nurse to provide comprehensive substance use prevention education, mental health education, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels of support and care to students experiencing substance use, and mental health needs. Through a cross collaborative team-based approach, nurses provide essential supports to students. We will look deeper into a school nurse day, their collaborative team structures and district frameworks to elevate the nurse role within the school and classroom.
Session Objectives:
Understand the school nurse role in mental and behavioral health support
Apply takeaways to advocate for more involvement from your school nurse to provide comprehensive care and support in the school building.
Implement leadership strategies to provide the support to school nurses to provide substance use education, prevention and intervention, along with mental health and behavioral health support.
Explore the transformative power of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) in enhancing student mental health and academic success. This session delves into the integration of mental health supports across MTSS's three tiers, emphasizing strategic use of interconnected systems frameworks. Participants will discover how to build a culture of care through Tier 1 supports, apply advanced interventions in Tiers 2 and 3, and harness collaboration for holistic student wellbeing.
Session Objectives:
1-Comprehensive Understanding of MTSS: Master the structure and application of the three-tier support system in MTSS, focusing on specific mental health interventions to enhance student outcomes. 2-Strategic Implementation Skills: Learn to implement foundational mental health supports at Tier 1 and effectively apply targeted interventions at Tiers 2 and 3 to address more complex student needs, including crisis management. 3-Collaboration and Systems Integration: Develop the ability to enhance mental health support through the use of an interconnected systems framework, improving collaboration across educational stakeholders and boosting the efficacy of mental health initiatives.
Dr. Hulya Odabas is the Vice President of Education at Study Smart Tutors, where she brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles as a high school science teacher and school counselor. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, a Master’s degree in School Counseling... Read More →
“More Than a Buzzword: Belonging Programming to Live It Out!” delves into practical steps for fostering a culture of inclusion. Presenting a case study of Carmody Middle School's successful belonging programming, attendees gain insight into engaging student participation in belonging activities, peer mentoring, enhancing school identity, intentional calendar planning, and how to collect and disaggregate data that centers around belonging. Attendees will utilize inventories to assess their school's inclusivity and brainstorm programming to bridge gaps. Empowering educators with actionable ideas, this presentation offers a roadmap for creating vibrant, inclusive school environments where every student feels seen, heard, and valued.
Session Objectives:
1)Teachers, counselors, and administrators will develop a comprehensive understanding of strategies to enhance belonging programming across all tiers (Tiers 1-3) within the school day. Drawing insights from the experiences of Carmody Middle School counselors, participants will gain practical ideas and techniques for fostering inclusivity and connection among students, tailored to diverse needs and contexts.
2)Participants will acquire skills in data collection methods specifically designed for evaluating and refining belonging programming initiatives. Educators will learn how to gather meaningful data on student engagement, satisfaction, and sense of belonging, empowering them to make informed decisions and adjustments to their programming.
3)Educators will engage in self-reflective practices to evaluate their school's current level of belonging. Utilizing inventories and assessment frameworks, participants will assess the strengths and areas for growth in their school's culture of inclusivity. By identifying actionable items for improvement, attendees will develop personalized action plans to enhance belonging within their own school communities.
Increasing mental health concerns among young people are reflected nationally in the recent US Surgeon General’s Advisory on Student Mental Health and locally in Healthy Kids Colorado data. Effectively addressing these concerns will require focus not only on mental health treatment, but also prevention efforts. This presentation will make the case for the importance of mental health literacy education to promote positive mental health. Core components of mental health literacy will be delineated as will a variety of reasons why this work in schools is critical. Finally, resources will be shared along with discussion of how to use them intentionally.
Session Objectives:
Participants will be able to: (1) describe the four core components of mental health literacy (2) give examples of reasons why mental health literacy is important in schools (3) locate mental health literacy resources and recognize how to use them intentionally
Behavioral Health Training Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
Michelle Malvey is a Behavioral Health Training Specialist in the Heath Education Unit at CDE. She is a former principal, district MTSS Coordinator, school psychologist and teacher with a passion for making sure everyone in the school environment gets what they need on a daily... Read More →
Evaluation and Research Principal Consultant, Colorado Department of Education
Amy Plog joined CDE in December 2021 and is a Research and Evaluation Consultant with the Health Education Services Office. Prior to working at CDE, she spent over 20 years in the Cherry Creek School District in a research and data role supporting the district mental health team and... Read More →
Regional Collaborative Conversations, Family Resource Centers, and the community schools strategy are impactful family, school, and community partnership initiatives that are playing a critical role in addressing the needs of Colorado’s most vulnerable youth. This presentation will provide an overview of multiple entry-points to serving your most vulnerable populations and ways that the Colorado Department of Education can support local implementation. This session will highlight different approaches to effective family engagement across Colorado and participants will identify strategies that are transferable to their local context and the unique populations that they serve.
Session Objectives:
Learn about the Colorado Department of Education’s work supporting Regional Collaborative Conversations and Transformational Partnerships, Family Resource Centers, and community schools at the local level.
Consider elements of family, school, and community partnership success stories of addressing the needs of the most vulnerable youth and families in areas of Colorado with high concentrations of poverty and how it might look in your community.
Discuss how to support the community. family, school, and community partnership initiatives in your community and identify opportunities for growth.
OST Programs Specialist, Colorado Department of Education
Shannon Allen serves on the office of Student Support team and CDE and is CDE's point of contact for all questions and ideas related to the community schools strategy in Colorado. Feel free to reach out to Shannon about your interest in the community schools strategy, out-of-school... Read More →
State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children & Youth, Colorado Department of Education
Paula Gumina serves as the State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program at the Colorado Department of Education. She brings with her over fifteen years serving the state of Colorado in implementing cross agency projects and initiatives. She holds a... Read More →
District and Community Supports Manager, Colorado Department of Education
Jes Stroope, Ph.D., is the District and Community Supports Manager in the Office of Family, School, and Community Partnerships (FSCP) at the Colorado Department of Education. Jes received her doctorate from the Child, Family, and School Psychology program at the University of Denver... Read More →
This session will explore current data on LGBTQ students' health and wellbeing, highlighting the crucial role of a supportive school environment. Attendees will learn best practices for fostering true belonging through systemic and academic approaches, ensuring sustainability and buy-in from all school community members. Drawing from History UnErased’s work in over 3,000 schools, real-life examples and testimonials will showcase effective strategies for urban, suburban, and rural settings, minimizing and navigating pushback, and bringing all members of the school community together around student wellbeing and achievement.
Session Objectives:
1- Understand the impact of school environments on LGBTQ students' health, wellbeing, and connectedness. 2- Identify and implement best practices for creating sustainable, inclusive educational environments. 3- Gain insights from successful real-life examples and testimonials to replicate inclusive practices in diverse school settings.
Learning and Development Consultant, History UnErased
Dr. Basel Touchan is a Middle Eastern Immigrant who transitioned from a career in medicine to focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) after moving to the U.S. during the Syrian civil war. With over a decade of global strategic and programmatic experience in education... Read More →
Through an Attorney General’s Justice Innovation Grant, case management was undertaken for 20 justice-engaged youth to support school re-entry and success. With only 20% of adjudicated youth earning a diploma nationwide, the support team assisted stakeholders in moving students toward graduation. Participants will be introduced to the findings from this process that impacted the content and passage of HB24-1216 and understand how those provisions will impact their school or district going forward. Bill provisions can increase belonging for justice-engaged students and their families when implemented in a way that supports educational success.
Session Objectives:
1) Leave with an understanding of how HB24-1216 will impact your school or district. 2) Embrace greater understanding from student and family perspectives of common elements and barriers in the educational trajectory of justice engaged youth, 3) Gain experience analyzing an educational journey map completed by a student and their family member and working collaboratively to identify common themes and experiences that could be better addressed through a school commitment to ensuring belonging.
Wendy began with Generation Schools Network in 2010 as the Rocky Mountain Managing Director and was asked by the Board of Directors to assume the CEO role in 2012. While earning a business degree, her love for education was catalyzed through volunteering to teach a business entrepreneurship... Read More →