In-Service Workshops

In today’s fast-paced digital world, striking a balance between technology use and productivity is more challenging than ever, especially for educators and students navigating the complexities of remote and hybrid work and leisure. This workshop is for you! Designed to empower educators to harness the potential of Artificial Intelligence, specifically ChatGPT, to enhance efficiency and carve out more quality time for what truly matters. This engaging workshop explores the concept of Digital Flourishing, focusing on harnessing technology to support an empowered and harmonious tech-life balance, enabling participants to optimize digital tools for enhanced well-being and productivity. Participants will learn to master popular AI tools for efficiency and gain proficiency in ChatGPT to streamline everyday tasks, significantly reducing cognitive burden. This in-service workshop is also available for parents and community members.

Designed for school psychologists, social workers, guidance counselors, nurses, and special education staff, this workshop will discuss identifying a student's strengths and challenges using neuropsychological testing. Participants will learn how to examine neuropsychological tests, how they are used, and how to develop instructional and behavioral strategies for students based on these assessments.

School nurses provide support and advocacy to students with mental health issues daily and are often the first school professional to recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental health disorder. This workshop will provide school nurses with an update on the most commonly encountered mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, and PTSD and strengthen their skills for managing students’ symptoms of these disorders in the health office. Participants will build on their collaborative and communication skills with school-based student support personnel, including in the context of 504 plans, IEPs, and IHPs, as well as caregivers, and community-based providers.

Extracurricular activities offer a great platform for social-emotional learning, equipping students with key transferable skills. Sports, in particular, provide students with opportunities to collaborate with peers, learn to communicate effectively, build trust, value different perspectives, resolve conflicts, set goals, bounce back from setbacks, develop positive self-identify, and the list goes on. By emphasizing extracurriculars as a vehicle for social-emotional growth, educators and coaches can help students meet their full potential. This engaging workshop will provide examples and tips for how to leverage the SEL benefits of extracurriculars.

In today’s world, 24/7 connectivity contributes to digital distraction and phone dependence, which may hinder students' physical, mental, and emotional health. Social media platforms can foster a culture of peer comparison. How do we all shift from digital overload to more tech/life balance? Students will learn the data and be introduced to the LookUp Challenge: a student-led initiative to take a break from phones, social media and technology for a week as a school community on each students' own terms.

Teen substance use, including alcohol, marijuana, and illegal use of prescription drugs, impacts our schools and communities. The dangers of substance use and abuse, including how the opioid and heroin epidemic is affecting Massachusetts, will be highlighted.

Every day, young people are deceived, manipulated, coerced, and forced into the commercial sex trade. This multibillion-dollar industry targets vulnerable individuals in our communities. The Understanding and Responding to Victims Training gives service providers, law enforcement, and community members the tools needed to better serve this marginalized population.

Incidents of Digital Abuse are on the rise. Digital Abuse, which includes the use of technology to harass, exploit, and intimidate others takes many forms. This conversation focuses on how young people today may be exploited and explores the definition and types of digital abuse. This workshop will also demonstrate how digital abuse is similar/different than other forms sexual violence, our state's laws, and best practices for prevention.

This workshop will clarify the roles of ESL and classroom teachers of multilingual learners and offer strategies to complement one another's efforts and maximize student outcomes.

How can you ask your teen if they are feeling depressed? This on-site or virtual workshop is facilitated by Families for Depression Awareness (FFDA) staff and delivered by a mental health professional. Participants learn how to recognize depression in teens, communicate effectively with teens about depression, find treatment, and access community resources. Our staff works with local event organizers to customize the workshop for your group’s specific needs.