1:45 – 3:00 P.M. Thursday, July 20
1:45 – 3:00 P.M. Thursday, July 20
Building a Positive School Climate: A Researched-based Approach
Schools face several challenges in building or maintaining positive climates including bullying, gang presence, violence, conflicts, sexual harassment, drug possession and use, lack of connections to positive adults and the negative impact of social media. Building a positive school climate is not only a requirement through the Local Community Action Plan (LCAP) but has long been a part of the mandatory safe schools plans (EC 32280 – 32289). This session will examine the root causes that can negatively impact a positive climate including the “culture of cruelty” that may be a part of some youth groups in schools. The session will quickly examine how popular culture feeds into cruel and mean behaviors. The focus of the session will be current research and best practices in building a positive climate and culture. Attendees will be provided several common sense tools to assist in assessing and building a positive climate.
Presenter: Wayne Sakamoto –Executive Director –California School Resource Officers’ Association
“School Emergency – how do we handle the Deaf and Hard of Hearing?”
This workshop will detail the method by which to notify and continue to update deaf and hard of hearing students in the event of an emergency by the use of Real-Time Captioning / CART Services.
Presenters: Melissa Sosa and Antha Ward
Developing Digital Leaders
#ICANHELP works with students, teachers, counselors and administrators to provide a structure to deal with social media issues on or off school campus. Through training, we work to develop skills in students to respond to negativity online and act as digital first responders and spread positive messages. We work with staff on ways to support, model and engage students on social media to limit online drama. In addition, we will provide resources and structure so that social media use at your school is proactive and not reactive. We will provide case studies from schools as well as lesson samples you can use at your school.
Presenter: Matthew Soeth –#ICANHELP Co-Founder
Overview of Human Trafficking And Identifying The Red Flags That Are Associated With It
The purpose of the of the class is to give School Resource Officers and educators a basic awareness of Human Trafficking and how to identify the signs to inquire about it.
Presenter: Investigator Jeff Jensen
Breaking Down the Bullying Infrastructure in Schools
Conflict is almost certain whenever people from different backgrounds are placed in the same setting. This is particularly true for public programs that serve a diverse group of youth. However, when confronted with repetitive behaviors intended to harm, many adolescents do not have the skill set to combat bullying behaviors. In order to lessen the impact of bullying behaviors in public programs, interventions must target both the victims and the bullies. Youth who are targets of bullying should be taught the appropriate responses to bullying behavior. Youth who are labeled as bullies should be taught to use his/her natural leadership ability for pro-social change in schools and the elevation of peers. This session will address the social structure of bullying and action steps for professionals to follow when bullies and victims are identified.
Presenter: Dr. Eric Landers –Associate Professor –Georgia Southern University
PBIS: Universal Framework for Safe Schools
The fundamental purpose of SW-PBS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) is to make schools Safe, Positive, Consistent, and Predictable (Horner, 2013). This workshop will explore how PBIS can provide a universal framework to align and integrate evidence based practices, such as Restorative Practice and a Trauma Informed Schools, to improve school safety and create a positive school climate. Participants will examine common features of Restorative Practice and Trauma Informed Schools within a PBIS continuum of support. Strategies for successful implementation will be explored at each Tier: the Universal, Targeted, and Intensive. The presenters will review a district vision for aligning and integrating related initiatives, such as RP and Trauma Informed Schools, within a PBIS multi-tiered framework to provide effective alternatives to suspension and expulsion and improve school safety and climate.
Presenters: Dr. Dori Barnett –Coordinator PBIS, and Dr. Arthur Cummins –Director Student Services
Decrease Student Suspensions and Expulsions While Increasing Student Engagement
Come learn how one Southern California school district has made significant reductions in home suspensions and expulsions over the last nine years. Through a change in philosophy and a variety of alternatives, not only has the number of suspensions and expulsions decreased, but the number of student behavior incidents has decreased as well. Developing a school-wide culture that values and respects all students is a priority in being able to increase student engagement in school. Creating a school-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model is a part of this, but so too is the need for school leaders to be able to provide staff with the necessary alternative strategies to help prevent student choices that lead to discipline. In this session, we will dialogue about all of this and more and you will leave with some useful strategies to take back to your school and district.
Presenter: Steve Behar –Director, Child Welfare and Attendance –Lake Elsinore Unified School District