Hybrid Conference – Shifting Mindsets and Practice in Promotion of Positive Student Outcomes – Mar. 28, 2024

March 28, 2024 @ 8:15 am – 2:30 pm

In person registration is closed. Virtual registration closes on March 27, 2024.

Registration: 8:15 – 8:45 am
Conference: 8:45 am – 2:30 pm

Attend In Person or Via Zoom

Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School
758 Marrett Road
Lexington, MA 01421

To receive PDPs, participants must attend this conference and the conference, Building a Restorative Culture Through an MTSS Lens, on March 5, 2024. Members can participate in-person, virtually or by viewing the recording.

SpeakerS

Description

Decision makers in schools must implement school or district-wide models to re-engage students in the learning process. This conference will focus on restorative justice, collaborative problem solving and conflict resolution. Educators from the public schools in Boston, Everett, Framingham, and Weymouth will share their expertise in shifting mindsets and promoting positive student outcomes.

About the Speakers

Courtney Balacco currently serves as the Executive Director of Student Supports for Framingham Public Schools. Her career has encompassed various district and school-based roles, including Director of Health and Wellness, Clinical Coordinator, and School Social Worker, along with prior experience in private clinical practice and working for the Department of Children and Families. Her work has focused heavily around school based mental health services, school crisis response, and developing school mental health programs and support systems. Courtney is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and school social worker. She remains an active Red Cross Disaster Mental Health responder and also volunteers with the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stonehill College and a master’s degree in mental health counseling and school adjustment counseling/school social work from Bridgewater State University.

Proud of her Latin American origins, Carolina Brito has spent her career working to build communities and classrooms of Black and Latino Excellence. She started by founding a Bilingual Ethnic Studies program at Cristo Rey Boston, and has most recently become a Principal at the Rafael Hernández Dual Language K-8 School (Boston Public Schools) in 2019. Her specialty is in coaching teachers to innovate, collaborate, and execute on excellent equity-driven bilingual, classroom instruction. She has worked in every sector of education (public, private, and charter). Since becoming the Principal at the Hernández School, Carolina has embraced and built on restorative justice practices, which had been growing at the school since 2013.

Sara DeLuca, M.Ed., is the Multi-Tiered System of Support and Social Emotional Learning Coordinator for Framingham Public Schools. Through this work she has brought social emotional curriculum, integrated social emotional classroom practices, and a set of research based interventions grounded in Restorative Practices to the district. This work has been grounded in a Framingham specific MTSS process that focuses on a whole child approach. Prior to this position, Sara has been a teacher K-8, an elementary assistant principal, and a PBIS coach. She holds a masters degree in Education and postgraduate certificate in Multi Tiered System of Support.

Shavonne Lord, is the Director of Health and Wellness for Framingham Public Schools.  She arrived in Framingham after 13 years in Lawrence Public Schools as a School Psychologist, Dean of Students, Interim Principal and Assistant Principal.  She is experienced in creating the vision for and supporting the development of mental health support systems in schools, social emotional learning programming, and multi-tiered support systems across the building.  Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree from Bowdoin College with a major in Psychology and minor in Education.  She received her Masters Degree and Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology from Tufts University. 

Dennis Lynch is entering his thirteenth year as an administrator and educator within the Everett Public Schools. He began his career in education as a high school history teacher. He was appointed Dean of Students at Everett High School, where he was tasked with student attendance, behavior and guidance responsibilities. Mr. Lynch served as Assistant Principal of the Parlin School, a K-8 school in Everett. He later became Principal of the Parlin School where he led an effort to provide individualized instruction for all students in order to address learning loss due to the pandemic. Mr. Lynch is now in his second year as Principal of Everett High School. Prior to joining K-12 education, Mr. Lynch worked for many years at the Massachusetts Probation Department. He lives in Abington with his wife and three children.

Jess Madden-Fuoco, M.A., M.Ed., started teaching in 1997 and was an assistant principal for 13 years and an instructional coach for the past four years. Jess just started a new position at Margarita Muñiz Academy as Restorative Justice Teacher and School Librarian. Since she began working in schools, Jess was always concerned about school being too punitive and not helping young people learn from their mistakes, so she was grateful to learn about restorative justice in 2008. Jess began teaching educators about restorative justice in 2016 and designed the fully online Becoming Restorative Course in 2022. Jess loves to think about having a positive impact on more students by supporting the growth of all staff who work in schools. Jess lives in Boston with her partner Bill, their two daughters, and their dog. You can learn more about Jess on her website: http://leadwithlovelovetolead.com/.

Jim Murphy, M.Ed., CAGS, is entering his seventeenth year in the Everett Public Schools. Over the course of his career, he has held numerous positions including as a Middle School Inclusion Teacher, Math Interventionist, Instructional Coach, Math Teacher and Director of Data for the Everett Public Schools. More recently, he held the role of Assistant Principal at the Parlin School and, subsequently, Vice Principal at Everett High School. He resides in Rowley with his wife and two daughters.

Robert Tremblay, Ed.D.,  joined the Framingham Public Schools as Superintendent on April 1, 2017.  Prior to his work in Framingham, he served as Superintendent of Schools for the Town of Weston, Massachusetts and the Town of Milford, Massachusetts. With 25 years of school and district leadership experience and a mission-centered approach to long-term strategic planning, Dr. Tremblay works collaboratively to advance a shared vision aimed at sustainable student achievement with an emphasis on belonging. Dr. Tremblay holds a Doctor of Education degree from Northeastern University; Master of Public Administration degree from Northeastern University; Master of Education degree from Lesley University; and a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University. 

Kerry Wood, M.Ed., is the Principal of Fuller Middle School at Framingham Public Schools. Kerry earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Secondary Education from High Point University and a Master of Education in English from Framingham State University. She has 21 years of teaching experience at both private and public schools in England, Virginia, and Massachusetts. After moving to Massachusetts in 2004, she became a member of Framingham High School’s English Department for 12 years and then served as the ELA Department Head at Fuller Middle School during the 2017-18 school year. The following year, Kerry served as the Assistant Director of Secondary Education for Framingham Public Schools. In August of 2019, she was appointed as the Interim Principal of Fuller Middle School. A passionate educator and committed team builder, Kerry believes in fostering educational communities where both students and teachers are able to thrive.

Membership Information

Most MPY webinars are available ONLY to current staff from member districts and organizations. Public school memberships include police and fire personnel. Former and retired employees and members of committees, including but not limited to, PTO/PTA, PAC, School Improvement Councils, Health Councils, Drug/Alcohol Councils, and school volunteers, are not considered MPY members.

PDPs and CEUs

MPY is an approved Professional Development Provider through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (Provider No. F20180079). Professional Development Points (PDPs) are offered for most MPY professional development webinars. PDPs are issued in 10 hour increments, per DESE requirements.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for clinical staff through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc. (MaMHCA). The NASW and the MaMHCA approve each event individually. CEUs may be given in hourly increments.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must pass the quiz. The PDP quiz will be made available only to participants who have registered for and attended both conferences.

Event Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend a MPY webinar you must cancel, through Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org, one business day before the webinar.

For MPY hybrid conferences, the date in-person registration closes will be posted on MPY’s website. Virtual conference registration will close one business day before the hybrid conference. You cannot cancel or switch your registration from in-person to virtual after in-person registration closes. Please email Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org with any questions regarding registration.