Bridging to Resilience

Therapy pets are becoming more present in our educational settings. This session presents a therapy dog program used at Blackmore Elementary in El Dorado, Kansas. The presentation will focus on Tier 1, 2 and 3 approaches to integrate therapy dogs into the social emotional side of the MTSS triangle. As a bonus, Sam the therapy dog, will be present in the session! 

Young children thrive in classrooms where they feel connected, engaged, and supported—but keeping little learners focused and on track can be a daily challenge. In this interactive session, we’ll explore four practical, high-impact strategies that help teachers create positive learning environments, minimize unwanted behaviors, and maximize meaningful engagement. Walk away with simple tools you can use right away to build stronger relationships, foster independence, and keep your students excited about learning—all while making your classroom feel more manageable and joyful.

School districts are facing challenges that can seem insurmountable when it comes to supporting the mental wellness of staff and students. In addition to the challenges of the last few years, education itself has one of the highest burnout rates across all professions. In response to this critical need, self-care models are being promoted with the best intentions, however, self-care alone is not sustaining. While this is an important step in the right direction, without effective organizational care structures to support self-care models, they fall short. In this session, participants will walk away with a greater understanding of the foundations for organizational care through the lens of neuroscience. Additionally, practical first steps and tools will be provided to begin implementing effective, systemwide organizational care that addresses the limitations of traditional approaches.

You've been to trauma-informed training and read a few books; what do you do now? In this session, James Moffett, Principal of Faris Elementary in Hutchinson, will share 5 must-dos for schools to help you move forward in a trauma-informed journey. These practices are simple, sustainable, and proven to work. As Maya Angelou so eloquently said, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." Let's do better together.

We will Unpack our American grand experiment on punishment and how it is ineffective and perpetuates trauma-inducing environments. If we want to stop losing kids, this is the biggest mindset shift needed to propel us forward in a trauma-informed school and community. This session will teach us how to create a shared language around punishment versus discipline. Participants will walk through several activities designed to be taken back to staff to shift paradigms and create the needed energy to transform where we currently are to where we want to go. This is an experiential and emotionally active session!

Being able to de-escalate a student and/or adult is a crucial skill in today’s classroom environment. We all have learned basic de-escalation skills but have you ever looked at it from a brain perspective? In this session, we will learn how to evaluate which part of the brain has been activated during a crisis and learn how to bring that portion of the brain back to reality all while keeping ourselves regulated as well.

Enjoy 60 mis off mindful coloring with positive affirmation designs specifically created to relax your mind and boost your mental wellness. Enjoy soothing sounds, custom colorable positive affirmations, and pure relaxation. Immerse yourself in a calming atmosphere, carefully crafted to quiet your mind and uplift your spirit. Our unique, hand-designed affirmations will guide you on a journey of self-discovery, helping you to let go of stress and anxiety, and unlock your full potential. Our mindful coloring experience is perfect for educators, seeking a healthy escape from the demands of everyday life. Whether you're looking to reduce stress, improve your mood, or simply take a break from the digital world, our carefully crafted designs and soothing sounds provide the perfect sanctuary.

Using Comprehensive Dashboards to Improve Academic Performance and Resiliency
One of the biggest predictors of academic and personal growth is resiliency (i.e., the ability to work through or overcome adversity). Not every student is resilient, and schools are often at the forefront of innovative ways to develop individual and school-level strategies. Research shows that schools that utilize data dashboards are more likely to create effective, proactive resilience enhancement strategies that lead to faster and more robust academic and personal outcomes. Unfortunately, many schools report little training or experience using data dashboards. This presentation will be a hands-on guide to how schools can use data dashboards, guided by machine learning algorithms, to improve student resilience and academic/personal outcomes.