PDP Quiz – Cultivating Supportive School and Classroom Environment & School Attendance Summit – Oct. 3 and Oct. 24, 2023

October 24, 2023 @ 8:15 am – 2:30 pm

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

In person registration is closed.

Attend In Person or Via Zoom

Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School
565 Maple Street
Danvers, MA 01932

To receive PDPs, participants must attend this conference and the conference, School Attendance Summit: New Challenges and Opportunities, on October 3, 2023. Members can participate in-person, virtually or by viewing the recording.

Speakers

Description

Today’s schools are grappling with the inappropriate or excessive use of long-term suspensions and expulsions. Data shows suspensions and expulsions disparately impact students with disabilities and/or students of color. This conference will address alternative remedies to employ before considering student suspension in direct response to a specific incident. From Massachusetts Department of Education policy to district practices, participants will learn alternative remedies to discipline including mediation, conflict resolution, restorative justice, and collaborative problem solving.

About the Speakers

Dr. Raul Fernandez is a Senior Lecturer and past Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development where he studies, writes, and teaches about inequities in education. He is also Chair of the Racial Imbalance Advisory Council of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and was recently named a Public Impact Scholar by the Initiative on Cities. He was the first in his family to earn a college degree and is now an accomplished educator, with thousands of people having attended his workshops at campuses, conferences, and organizations around the country and internationally.

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.

Eliza Casella, M.Ed., is the director of social emotional learning, culture, and climate for Salem Public Schools, Eliza has worked closely with school leaders and school-based teams to help design, implement, and refine strategies for increasing students’ sense of belonging and overall social and emotional wellbeing in schools. Before joining Salem Public Schools, Eliza spent 12 years working for Boston Public Schools leading the CTE Pathway department, cultivating Dual Enrollment post-secondary partners, and designing and supporting the implementation of a grades 7-12 SEL curriculum that addressed the impact of COVID-19 on students, staff, and families. Eliza holds master degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Institute for Nonprofit Leadership’s Community Fellows program through Tufts University Tisch School of Civic Engagement. 

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.

Eric Greene is Director of Community Dispute Resolution at MetroWest Mediation. He oversees all non-court connected services including the Local Consumer Program and mediation for organizations, divorce/family, community, re-entry, and youth. He received his M.A. in Conflict Resolution & Near Eastern Studies from the Heller School for Social Policy at Brandeis University.  Eric has trained hundreds of new mediators.  He has previously taught the Advanced Mediation Course for graduate students at Brandeis University.

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 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. 

Jessica Whelan began working with at-risk youth over 20 years ago with the Department of Youth Services. She then transitioned to working as a Victim/Witness Advocate for almost 10 years in Suffolk County and had the pleasure of witnessing Restorative Justice in the criminal justice system. Eleven years ago, Jessica transitioned into education as a school counselor where she was introduced to the idea of using community building and restorative practices in schools. Shortly thereafter, Jessica was offered the position of Restorative Coordinator for a Boston public high school, where she and her team created and implemented staff and student training and opportunities for practice. Jessica accepted a position in the Weymouth public schools, first as Restorative Coach for Chapman Middle School and then  as Assistant Principal of Chapman Middle School. She has  introduced community and harm circles and trained on Restorative Practices. She continues to use her training and experience for community building and supporting students and staff in addressing harm in a way that allows us to create a community instead of breaking it. 

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. 

To receive PDPs, participants must attend this conference and the conference, School Attendance Summit: New Challenges and Opportunities, on October 3, 2023. Members can participate in-person, virtually or by viewing the recording. Participants who qualify for CEUs, will receive an email with a link to the application form. If you do not qualify for PDPs and/or CEUs, you may request a Certificate of Attendance.

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 be 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.