In-Service Workshops

Designed for all K-12 school personnel, this 2-part workshop series aims to build a compassionate school system by challenging and empowering each member to be intentional about their approach to mental health. These interactive and engaging sessions explore strategies to improve systemic well-being and eliminate mental health stigma, while also facilitating authentic connections and self-care strategies as antidotes to isolation, stress, and burnout. Offered in partnership with Minding Your Mind, this in-person series invites participants to examine their attitudes, values, and actions regarding emotional well-being, both for themselves and their colleagues. Each session lasts 60-90 minutes and is exclusively available to school staff and administration.

We continue to find ourselves dealing with post-COVID children's developmental and learning gaps, decreased social engagement among both children and families, and interfering behaviors that occur at school, at home, and in the community. In this critical moment, we need to bridge the gap between school and home by focusing on relationship-building, collaboration, and skill-based programming across settings. This workshop will provide recommendations for how to establish partnerships that facilitate collaborative goal setting, problem-solving, and intervention development that align with both school and parent values. It is also integral that educational programming from preschool to high school teach students meaningful behaviors and skills that lead to improved academic productivity, social engagement, and self-advocacy in educational, familial, and community contexts. We will discuss evidence-based approaches for teaching socially significant skills in a way that builds on the school-home partnership while promoting generalization and maintenance of these skills and behaviors.

Many students may comprehend classroom instructions and lessons, but struggle with organization and managing academic production demands, including homework and writing assignments. This workshop identifies the specific areas and skills involved in executive functioning, methods of assessment, and how we can effectively address this challenging area for students. This presentation is only available to educators.

This 90-minute workshop allows participants to have an honest conversation about conflict; specifically, this discussion explores having difficult conversations but also having difficult conversations with difficult people. There is a difference between the two, but both can be challenging! The presenter provides an honest conversation and tips to increase your confidence when it comes to engaging in these types of conversations, even for the most conflict avoidant individuals. You have the Competence, Now Own Your Confidence!

Teaching is not just about lessons and grading. Most teacher training focuses on content and classroom management but provides little training in emotional intelligence, co-regulation, and restorative responses. These skills are essential for making adaptive, emotionally responsive decisions in the moment when students present behavioral, social emotional, or functional challenges. In this workshop, we will use the REAL Framework and CORE practices to help you stay calm, support students, and create a classroom where everyone feels safe and ready to learn.

This workshop will review a developmental model of social emotional instruction. Participants will gain a better understanding of the developmental trajectory of social emotional skills and strategies to support social emotional learning in the classroom.

The Growth Mindset model was developed by psychologist Carol Dweck more than 20 years ago. It has proven itself to be a very effective way of helping students of all ages manage the challenges of any skill or task, including how to cope with imperfections and mistakes. Perhaps a good way of describing this model is to throw away the adage “Practice makes perfect” and instead say “Practice makes progress.” The Growth Mindset model addresses this, and this presentation covers how it does so. This workshop is 75 – 90 minutes.

This engaging and interactive presentation helps students explore the impact of screen time on their mental, physical, and emotional health. Participants will learn to recognize the signs of unhealthy screen habits and discover practical strategies for finding a healthy balance between digital life and real-life activities. Through real-world examples, group discussions, and self-reflection, students will gain insight into how screen time affects sleep, relationships, academic performance, and overall well-being. This workshop emphasizes mindful technology use and encourages the development of daily habits that support a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

1 in 3 teens experience teen dating violence, that we know of. Many teens experience shame and hide their relationships from their support systems. Teen relationship dynamics are heavily influenced by media, family, and peers. The dynamics that teens are learning from are not always healthy but can shape what a healthy relationship looks like to them. In this session we will be discussing healthy, unhealthy, and abusive teen relationships. Participants will be learning skills to recognize, respond, and support youth. Although these are hard conversations to have, they are important for growth and healing.

Helping Children Develop Resiliency and Self-Esteem is a professional development workshop designed to support educators in nurturing children’s emotional strength and positive sense of self. The workshop explores how supportive relationships, responsive teaching practices, and inclusive learning environments help children manage challenges, build confidence, and develop perseverance. Participants will reflect on their own interactions, learn practical strategies to foster independence and self-regulation, and gain tools to promote resilience and healthy self-esteem in everyday classroom experiences. This workshop is intended for PreK - Gr. 2 staff.