Join Dr. Hannah Mesouani for a session on how to build empathy and unpack hidden biases during home visits for students at-promise. During this presentation, you will learn about attribution theory and empathy mapping to be an effective "guest on the job" when visiting student living spaces to offer support and conduct necessary interventions.
Human trafficking is a pervasive issue that affects communities everywhere. Alarmingly, 1 in 3 human trafficking victims is a child, and 1 in 6 children reported as runaways to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is suspected to be a victim of trafficking. In this training, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of human trafficking by exploring its definitions and dynamics, the legal protections available for both adults and children, and develop the skills to identify potential trafficking situations. You will also gain valuable insight on the resources and support systems available to assist victims, equipping you with the knowledge to connect individuals in need with the appropriate help and support. Join us to enhance your understanding and play a crucial role in combating human trafficking
Chronic truancy has numerous causes, but for many students, making connections at school can help break that cycle. This session will explore a program model that capitalizes on students’ interests and passions by offering classes that are cross-curricular, community-connected, and centered on student voice and choice. Further strengthening students’ opportunities for connections is the fact that restorative practices, such as circles and reflections, are embedded into the instructional approach in this model. Participants in this session will have the opportunity to brainstorm with presenters on ways in which they might incorporate a similar approach in their program or school in the hopes of improving attendance, increasing student engagement, and strengthening students’ social-emotional skills.
This interactive workshop will equip educators with practical strategies to seamlessly integrate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into their classrooms. Participants will explore three key categories: supporting classroom environments, integrating SEL into academic instruction, and explicitly teaching SEL. By the end of the session, educators will leave with actionable techniques to implement the very next day.
Professional Learning Specialist, Regional Office of Education #33
Jessica Donaldson serves as a Professional Learning Specialist at Regional Office of Education #33 with over 15 years of extensive experience in Behavioral Health. Her expertise lies in bridging the gap between behavioral health and education through comprehensive training, coaching... Read More →
Thursday March 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Fell B
During this interactive session, participants will discuss mental health challenges that educators face personally. We will learn strategies that can be applied in the real world to help educators cope and improve their mental health.
This multi-sensory mindfulness workshop is perfect for beginners curious about mindfulness to experienced practitioners looking to deepen their practice. Educators will learn how to cultivate presence, balance, and resilience, with benefits that last from the start of their career to retirement. Through sensory exploration, this workshop provides tools to manage stress, enhance focus, and promote lasting well-being.
Jennifer is a dedicated and seasoned education professional with an impressive career spanning over 25 years. Her journey in the field of education has taken her through various roles, from being a classroom teacher to serving as an interventionist, team lead, parent, and school board... Read More →
Thursday March 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Fell A
Words have impact! Harness the power of affirmations to enhance student relationships and classroom morale. In this workshop, learn how intentional affirming interactions can cultivate empathy, build trust, nurture students' strengths, and deepen connections, fostering inclusion and a sense of belonging. Using a healing-centered, strengths-based approach, you’ll master the art of delivering affirmations effectively and guiding students to support one another. Create a more affirming, inclusive, and positive classroom and school culture.
Expert in school-based GROUP counseling and mentoring for adolescents.Provide engaging professional development training to school staff and parents.Creator of innovative SEL group curriculum "All Rise: Together We Lead"
Thursday March 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Redbird G
Understanding that families facing housing insecurity under the McKinney-Vento Act may also need Bilingual and Special Education Services. One service does not supersede that of another. All laws and statues must apply.
McKinney-Vento Regional Coordinator, South Cook- ISC
Dr. Lynn Zeder is currently serving as the South Cook McKinney-Vento Regional Coordinator. She is a retired assistant superintendent from Orland 135 and has previously worked as junior high ELA teacher, media specialist, assistant principal, principal, director of curriculum, and... Read More →
Thursday March 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Redbird F
We hear a lot about the school-to-prison pipeline, and there are many great people and programs supporting at-risk students. This program will delve into another group of at-risk students: those quiet students who sit in the back of the class and do not draw attention to themselves. These students are fighting internal battles and are at a higher risk of suicide. Everest High School, a trauma-informed high school in Belvidere, Illinois, works with these students by providing a stable, safe, and supportive environment that helps restore self-confidence and sets students on a positive path for success after high school. Come hear about our students and the unique programming we use to support this ever-growing group of at-risk students.
Education is a third career for me. I was an apprentice trained sign painter and then a union carpenter. After losing a fight with a table saw I found myself back in school where I completed my BFA in art education. After starting my teaching/coaching tenue in Southern Illinois... Read More →
Thursday March 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CST
Redbird C+D
Work Based Learning Cooperative Alternative Education (COOP) is a program geared to at-risk youth. It is a program which will help develop 21st century essential skills for the career/workplace for at-risk youth. The program will help guide the students through; credit recovery, post-secondary decision-making, developing resumes and cover letters, improving interviewing skills, various career exposures, and financial literacy skills, as well as having the students develop a senior capstone portfolio which they will take with them and use in the real world. Our goal is that once our students have successfully completed this and graduated, they can be successful contributors to the community and break the low socio-economic cycle in order to improve their lives and make positive decisions in their lives.
Team building activities designed for both staff and students. These activities will be quick, cost-effective, and focused on fostering a positive and collaborative group culture. By participating, you'll gain practical insights into fun, engaging exercises that promote teamwork and strengthen relationships, helping to create a more connected and supportive community.
This presentation will discuss the different type of alternative programs that are grant funded and/or approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.
This session will help you design a safe classroom for all learners. Participants will discover what a trauma informed environment needs to be and reflect on ways to implement strategies in current practice.
Through this training, adults will leave with a greater understanding of the realities of trafficking, its root causes, how to identify victims, and how to take action. This training is beneficial in educating anyone working with youth on the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC).
Understanding Professional Boundaries • Definition: Professional boundaries are the physical and emotional limits that define appropriate interactions between educators and their students. • Purpose: To maintain safe, ethical, and practical working relationships with the kids we serve. • Importance: Protects students and professionals from potential harm or misunderstandings. • Key aspects: Respect, confidentiality, objectivity, and clear communication.
Who knows more about family homelessness than the parents who experience it? Homelessness is the cause of many school attendance issues, but it goes unrecognized in many instances. Officials tend to not understand the nitty-gritty reality of what families experience while homeless. The 3 Melissas’ Practical Guide to Surviving Family Homelessness, a new book, is a unique collection of wisdom from 3 mothers named Melissa (including one from IL) filled with their unfettered advice to millions of other moms, dads, and caregivers without a place to live. These hard-won observations and suggestions, compiled into an unprecedented survival guide for families experiencing homelessness in the US each year, offers tips and takes on common issues bedeviling stressed parents. This guide also informs those working with homeless families, giving a more enlightened understanding of the mostly invisible and growing crisis of family homelessness. The presentation will cover highlights from this new book and explore ways this tool can enhance local services for families experiencing homelessness.
This presentation will be geared for homeless liaisons or school staff in having a deeper understanding of the legal duties of a liaison, what the legal requirements are in a dispute resolution, and engage in discussions on some advanced scenarios.
An interactive roundtable discussion to share best practices, lessons learned and challenges in providing college, career and life readiness support to our students.
In this training, we will explore the roots of challenging behavior, focusing on trauma and neurological factors. We dissect the impact of trauma on behavior, emphasizing its profound influence and varied manifestations. Additionally, we delve into the inner workings of the brain, spotlighting its impact on behavior regulation. This training equips attendees with a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between trauma, neurology, and behavior, empowering them to provide meaningful support and intervention for individuals facing behavioral challenges.
Schools can effectively address truancy at various levels of intervention by utilizing a multi tiered system of support. This tiered approach ensures that all students receive the appropriate support they need to improve their attendance, fostering a more engaged and successful school community. Focusing on Tier 2 interventions allows schools to identify students who may be experiencing some sort of attendance problem and intervene to help correct the behavior before the student becomes a chronic truant. The earlier the preventative interventions can take place, the less likely those students will move on to needing Tier 3 interventions. The DuPage ROE has created a 12 week curriculum that combines SEL lessons, executive functioning skills and resilience skills, called AIM Groups. Every week is focused on using those skills to improve attendance. In this session, you will take part in the actual lessons and see how to effectively administer them in your schools.
Join me for a deeply rejuvenating experience as we delve into the tranquil world of Restorative Yoga. In this serene and introspective session, participants will be guided through gentle poses and breath work designed to promote relaxation, release tension, and restore balance to the mind and body.
This session will offer a safe and nurturing environment for all levels to unwind and recharge. Through the use of supportive props and mindful guidance, participants will explore the subtle nuances of each posture, allowing for deep release and surrender.
Emphasis will be placed on cultivating mindfulness and presence as well as fostering a sense of inner peace and tranquility. Participants will learn to listen to their bodies, honoring their unique needs and boundaries, while cultivating a sense of compassion and self-care.
Jennifer is a dedicated and seasoned education professional with an impressive career spanning over 25 years. Her journey in the field of education has taken her through various roles, from being a classroom teacher to serving as an interventionist, team lead, parent, and school board... Read More →
Many folks believe “hardening” schools with cameras, metal detectors, and weapons detection systems prevents school violence. We encourage districts and communities to rethink school safety using a much more holistic approach. Finding the right balance between “hardening” and “heartening” is key. Having the right physical security features in place is important. Ensuring our schools are fostering relationships, building trust, and creating a nurturing learning environment - “heartening” - is also critical to enhancing overall school safety.
In our session, you will hear about our Safety and Threat Assessment Team (STAT) efforts within West 40 Intermediate Service Center and how we are supporting the rethinking of safe school environments. We will discuss ways to achieve the right balance - how you can keep your school physically sound and also help define the roles that everyone plays in Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM). We will then put these concepts into action with a discussion/exercise using an actual threat scenario. The right balance between “hardening” and “heartening” is the key to a successful and well-rounded school safety program!
Director of Comprehensive Educational Services, West 40 Intermediate Service Center #2
Phil is the Director of Comprehensive Education Services for West40. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Elmhurst University in Teacher Education and a Master of Arts degree from Aurora University in Educational Leadership/Administration. He has over 25 years of experience in... Read More →
Thursday March 6, 2025 1:45pm - 4:00pm CST
Redbird G
Struggling with how to hold students accountable while providing opportunities for students to restore broken relationships and poor decisions? Join us as we discuss how we are approaching this at ROYALS. We will discuss the systems we use and the outcomes we have seen. We are still in the growing process. If you attend, please come with questions and know we are still growing too!
This panel presentation will discuss the journey of forming a DREAM SEL Culture. The panel will consist of students, teachers and administrators from the Dream Academy, the alternative high school in the Elgin U-46 School District. Attendees will learn about how student voice and a sense of belonging were made to be a priority by the staff. Panorama data, graduation rates and a decrease in suspensions in the 23-24 school year proved that the school culture has been one that is growing and thriving.
This session will offer guidance and best practices for schools to identify barriers and risks faced by economically and academically disadvantaged students. The presenter will assist participants in crafting goals to effectively engage these students in both short- and long-term goal setting.
Parent perspective on how best to support students experiencing homelessness. Hear from parents who have experienced homelessness and their suggestions for how schools can best assist families experiencing housing instability and help students thrive.
Self-care has become a new buzz word in education. Unfortunately, the definition of self-care has been changed and is now being used to describe anything that makes us happy, such as snacks in the breakroom. In this session, participants will learn about self-care and how to create a self-care plan that can help you unwind even when no one restocked the fridge.
The Tree of Growth - How it impacts students holistically Participants will learn how to apply The Tree of Growth strategy in their schools by engaging in activities during the presentation.
This presentation will discuss proven effective practices in response to addressing extreme student behavioral incidents. Through the implementation of cognitive behavioral therapy, teaching emotional identification and healthy replacement behaviors along with restorative practice strategies, the SOAR Academy has significantly reduced the number of missed instruction days for students. Partnering with our Regional Office of Education to deploy small teams of specific support professionals in an environment with lower adult to student ratios, students are equipped to navigate their learning environment with success. This presentation will also address the hybrid model of the SOAR Academy, which involves both deploying targeted behavior support teams into schools in support of students and teachers, as well as having a separate campus designed to provide intensive, targeted student behavioral interventions.
RAS Art Teacher Mr. Matthew Thornton will utilize IPAD's/IPENCILS to engage participants in a branding exercise. Vocational Coordinator Mr. Brian O'Kraski will simultaneously work with participants on personal branding/school culture. (30 participants Max)
Are you going home tired all the time? This session will help you understanding the effects of burnout and compassion fatigue that may be encountered as the first responders to student trauma. Participants will be provided resources and strategies that can be used as interventions and/or preventative measures to implement immediately. Walk away with strategies and tools to reduce or prevent burnout and compassion fatigue.
In this session, we will equip school staff with tools, strategies, and frameworks to support at-risk youth by fostering a school environment that prioritizes student well-being, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We will explore schoolwide systems, such as Rounding, Restorative Circles, Special Services, and how to create student-centered environments where all students, including those who may feel lost or unwanted, are welcomed and supported. By embracing the life cycle of a student and removing all assumptions of background knowledge, we engage at-risk students to find their own paths to success.
The topics every teacher dreads to teach- reproductive systems, menstruation, sex ed, abstinence, STD/STI's, pregnancy... and all the stuff in between. I was filled with dread when I saw it on my subject list, but then I taught it (and LOVED it). I may be a little unconventional and too excited, but I notice more eyes watching than heads down, have heard of students being more careful when sexually active, and I find those to be a win! I also reach out to the community to look for resources I can provide for the students and their families. If you are morbidly curious and don't get nauseaous too easily, come see if there are any additions you would be comfortable adding to your curriculum.
Schools can effectively address truancy at various levels of intervention by utilizing a multi tiered system of support. This tiered approach ensures that all students receive the appropriate support they need to improve their attendance, fostering a more engaged and successful school community. By focusing on Tier 1, schools can begin the preventative interventions to foster an environment that promotes positive learning, engagement and attendance. The DuPage ROE has been using the SEAT Tool offered by Attendance Works. In this session, we will walk through the SEAT assessment and provide feedback on how you can successfully administer this tool in your district.
Learn 26 essential terms to understand and practice, mindfulness and meditation. Hands on application in breath, techniques, guided meditation, mindful art – eating – movement, and an assessment on self-care and mental wellness.
This presentation offers a comprehensive exploration of grief, focusing on the nuances between children's and adults' experiences. Gain insights into effectively supporting grieving children and adolescents within educational environments, and discover valuable resources to aid in your supportive role.
The KEC Phoenix Academy program is an alternative education program in DeKalb County that serves approximately 175 students per year from nine districts. Over the the last 15 years the academic, social and mental health needs of students from the region have changed significantly, which has caused KEC to adjust programming continuously by offering multiple interventions and incentives in a strong partnership with their sending schools to reach an unmatched 92% success rate. Listen to how local school administrators collaborate and partner with the KEC Phoenix Academy to best meet the needs of an ever changing population to ensure the success of students in the region through a positive learning environment.
In this interactive session you will explore the 8 dimensions of wellness - Emotional, Spiritual, Intellectual, Physical, Environmental, Financial, Occupational, Social. Complete a self-assessment to determine areas of strength and growth. Develop an action plan for growth this school year to support your wellness goals! Each participant will be able to enter the raffle drawing for prizes!!
Friday March 7, 2025 9:45am - 12:00pm CST
Redbird G
This training is designed to equip those who work with students struggling with truancy and school avoidance, educators, school administrators, and support staff with the knowledge and skills to effectively use Restorative Practices to address truancy. The goal is to foster a supportive school environment that encourages regular attendance by engaging students and their families in meaningful dialogue and problem-solving.
In this session, we will explore Kristin Van Mater Souers and Peter Hall’s Fostering Resilient Learners and its "Spectrum of Savvy Practices" action guide. Participants will identify trauma-invested practices across key areas—Relationships, Academics, Behavior, and Responsibility—and learn strategies to transform their systems and practices. By the end, you will have actionable insights to create an optimal, supportive learning environment for all students.
This training is intended for administrators, teachers, school staff members, and school support providers who wish to understand more about restorative practices and their benefits for the whole school culture and climate. Recognize the key principles, concepts, and practices of a whole school approach to restorative practices Experience the circle process and review the elements of facilitating circles and conferences Learn a model for implementing and supporting restorative practices in your school Learn to engage in developing and applying a restorative plan that addresses systems and learning Develop skills to guide your school through the restorative change process
Can your students spot identity-based hate online? If they spot it, do they know what actions to take?
If not, the Mobile Museum of Tolerance’s Combat Hate: A Digital Media Literacy Workshop may be the solution. Combat Hate is a FREE ISBE-approved workshop that challenges students to recognize identity-based hate and take informed action to combat its spread online. To learn more about Combat Hate and how to book for your classroom, join us at our sessions and visit our website at: //www.mmot.com/combathate.
Jessa DeLuca is the Lead Educator for the Mobile Museum of Tolerance(MMOT) workshop Extension workshop: Combat Hate! In this role, Jessabrings the vital mission of combating hate into classrooms across Illinois,working closely with educators and students to foster critical thinking... Read More →
Friday March 7, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CST
Redbird F
This presentation will explore how Illinois Virtual Schools & Academy (IVSA) is addressing the unique challenges faced by at-risk youth through innovative virtual education solutions. By leveraging flexible, accessible, and student-centered strategies, IVSA helps schools ensure that the most vulnerable students continue to progress academically, even amidst teacher shortages and resource gaps. IVSA offers three solutions: Supplemental, Teacher Shortage, and a Full-Time Academy. These are flexible and cost-effective solutions that can be customized to meet the specific needs of each school. Join us to discuss the strategies that have worked to partner with schools around the state to support our youth who are at risk.
As we have done more research related to Social Emotional Learning and Trauma informed classrooms, thinking about the right instructional strategies to support an environment where students can learn language and thrive in a low anxiety community is critical. As language teachers considering the whole child and nurturing a learning process is vital. This presentation will support teachers in creating a classroom conducive to a trauma informed space where they can apply language learning strategies using non-technology and technology AI powered resources.
McKinney-Vento Regional Coordinator, South Cook- ISC
Dr. Lynn Zeder is currently serving as the South Cook McKinney-Vento Regional Coordinator. She is a retired assistant superintendent from Orland 135 and has previously worked as junior high ELA teacher, media specialist, assistant principal, principal, director of curriculum, and... Read More →
In this insightful presentation, we examine how behaviors often serve as signals of underlying unmet needs, ranging from basic physiological necessities to the deeper emotional and psychological desires for belonging and self-actualization. By recognizing these signals, we can shift our perspective from judgment to understanding, fostering empathy and connection. Through interactive discussions and real-life examples, we will highlight the importance of identifying these unmet needs, not just in ourselves but also in our relationships and communities. We will also delve into strategies for addressing these needs, attendees will leave with practical tools to create supportive environments that nurture growth, resilience, and well-being. Join us in this journey to uncover the reasons behind behaviors and discover how to cultivate hope in ourselves and others.
