In-Service Workshops

Students identified with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), formerly known as Asperger's Syndrome, present behaviors that require more subtle and relationship-oriented interventions compared to an ABA approach. This presentation reviews some of the challenges inherent in this diagnostic profile, including addressing the question as to what interventions are necessary. Also detailed are social skills challenges those students encounter, with specifics addressing young students needs vs. adolescents.

This presentation is designed to inspire and empower general education teachers, special education teachers, specialists, and administrators to help students achieve their potential through compassionate collaborative strategies that address the whole child. We will talk about appreciating neurodiversity, proactive strategies for supporting students, cultivating partnerships with parents, interdisciplinary collaboration, and responding rather than reacting to challenging situations. The goal is to promote consistent mindsets and approaches across the district and to provide educational experiences that are supportive, student-focused, and reflective of today’s educational challenges.

Research shows that youth who identify as LGBTQ+ are at significantly greater risk for harassment and discrimination, mental health challenges, and academic challenges. Fortunately, school-based interventions have been shown to reduce these disparities and help students to feel more supported. This workshop will review theories of identity development related to LGBTQ+ youth and how this may present to today’s world. This in-service workshop will also review common risk factors for behavioral and academic challenges Finally, participants will learn how to create safe and supportive learning environments for students with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

Becoming a dynamic team is essential to running a school or an organization. Team building is an ongoing process that helps any group evolve into a cohesive unit. This workshop will help groups of people work together as a team and become closer together as a group. It will help introduce the concept of team building, share its benefits, and learn how to develop teamwork every day you work together. It is an interactive workshop. This workshop is for teachers, school administrators, or other school staff.

This interactive training will enhance staff's understanding of the reasons behind students' behavior and how they can help their students achieve their goals. The training will cover practical student support strategies that are proactive, compassionate, and student-centered and the importance of responding to behavior with consistency and predictability in the classroom. Participants will explore how to approach their work with a neurodiversity affirming approach and how to effectively flow through challenging situations. This workshop is offered as a single session, multiple sessions, half-day training, or full-day training.

Dive into the world of neuroscience and psychology as this workshop offers a deep dive into how the brain reacts to social media. Explore the relationship between the brain on social media and peer feedback, peer influence, human connection, sleep, and evolutionary psychology. Learn to identify certain signs of addiction in children and adolescents and analyze fMRI scans to see how the neurochemistry of the young and developing mind is changing because of digital overload. How can we replace the dopamine we receive from social media with other forms of dopamine? Is social media a drug? How does social media addiction compare to other forms of addiction such as alcohol and substance abuse? These are just some of the topics to be explored by this presentation by Keegan Lee, a psychology and neuroscience researcher at The University of North Carolina.

Do your kids spend a lot of time on Tiktok, YouTube, or playing Fortnite? Do you as parents struggle to understand everything that is going on in their online lives? You may also be wondering how your own relationship with technology might be healthier. You’re in the right place! Coming out of the pandemic, many of us have spent more time on screens than ever before, and the lines between home, work, and school are blurry, making it challenging to unplug from our devices. Join us as we discuss navigating this balance with tips and tools to: • Achieve sustainable, positive digital practices with family and at work. • Optimize your digital habits for better mental health and family connection. • Prevent and recover from sensory overload and digital overwhelm. • Positively shift your relationship with your devices so they fuel vs. fatigue your relationships.

We think of alcohol as a beverage, but we know that it’s also a drug. Teens discuss “drinking” beer, “drinking” games and “drinking” as an activity unto itself, but what if we were to replace the word “drinking” with “drugging” in those contexts? If alcohol use creates changes in decision-making or mental status, we’re drugging with alcohol, and it’s important to understand alcohol in that context. This presentation examines alcohol as a drug, considering alcohol’s actions, side effects, dosing and overdosing, addiction and dependence risks, legal and health consequences and more.

The general acceptance of recreational intoxication in young people has never been as high as it is today, and as the country moves toward the decriminalization/legalization of marijuana, this popularity will continue to grow. The New Drug Education looks at current trends in use and attitudes about intoxication, considers best practices for educating and raising adolescents, and examines the legal and health risk factors young people are facing.

Today’s youth post their whole lives on social media platforms that seem to be ever-changing. Cell phone cameras and other recording devices present privacy issues for students and educators alike. New platforms for speech bring new concerns as to what speech is protected and what is not. This in-service workshop addresses what types of speech issues might arise in the context of Tik-Tok and other platforms, what can (and cannot) be done by the district, and how this might intersect with mandatory reporting requirements. This in-service workshop is also available for parents and community members.