ICEARY 2025

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 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. 

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!

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)

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.