Strands are mini-courses that occur each morning for 2-3 hours. Institute participants attend one strand throughout the four mornings. For information on an individual strand, click on the title of the strand. Please indicate your first, second, and third strand choices on the Individual Registration Form.
The strands marked as "VTPBIS School Teams Only" are designed for school teams (not individuals) that have completed certain PBIS readiness activities prior to the Institute.
The strands marked as "Strand Open to Anyone" are designed for individuals or school teams and generally do not have pre-requisites.
The strands marked as "School Teams Only" are designed for school teams (not individuals); and generally do not have pre-requisites unless otherwise specified.
It is important for your school team to carefully plan how each participant's strand choice will contribute to your team's overall implementation strategies that will be discussed during afternoon Team Time.
Strands to be registered for by Eligible VTPBIS School Teams ONLY
Strand A - VTPBIS Universal Training
Presenters: VTPBIS State Team Trainers
Prerequisites:
School teams must have completed these activities (with support from VTPBIS technical assistance provider) to be eligible to attend this training.
Description:
Eligible School Leadership Teams will be supported with content and facilitation needed to complete their PBIS School-wide Implementation Plan within a Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework. Restorative principles and equity considerations will be infused in the training. Teams will prepare for PBIS roll-out to staff, students, and family members.
Learning Objectives:
School Leadership Teams will:
• Develop the school-wide systems needed for equitable, fidelity-based PBIS implementation;
• Finalize and define 3-4 positively-stated, culturally responsive school-wide expectations;
• Create lessons for teaching and practicing prosocial behaviors that support the school-wide expectations;
• Establish procedures for acknowledging prosocial behaviors at the individual, classroom, and school-wide levels;
• Develop consistent practices, procedures, and a continuum of supports for preventing and responding instructionally to minor and major behavior concerns;
• Create procedures for making decisions based on data, determine school-wide data collection method, and establish data reporting procedures;
• Plan for the roll-out and first year implementation of PBIS at the Universal Level.
Intended Audience:
• School leadership teams participants should include: principal and/or assistant principal, school PBIS coordinator, Supervisory Union/Supervisory District PBIS coordinator, other representative staff members, and, if possible, student and/or caregiver/parent/guardian representative(s).
• Wondering if this strand is for you? Contact Amy Wheeler-Sutton at amy.wheeler-sutton@uvm.edu.
Strand B - VTPBIS Targeted Training
Presenters: VTPBIS State Team Trainers
Prerequisites:
• School is implementing PBIS at the Universal Level and has achieved a score of at least 70% on the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) Tier 1 (items 1.1-1.15) within the past four months
• School leadership team must complete these activities.
Description:
The Targeted Training will support school teams in building and implementing (or refreshing) a system of Targeted supports based on strong Universal foundations. Teams will leave the training ready to implement Check-in/Check-out and/or Teacher Check, Connect, and Expect, and will have been introduced to other Targeted supports that can be implemented in the future. Restorative principles and equity considerations will be infused throughout the training.
Learning Objectives:
School Leadership Teams will:
• Increase knowledge and fluency about PBIS at the Targeted level of PBIS;
• Finalize systems needed at the Targeted level;
• Develop criteria and procedures for providing Targeted supports, with a primary focus on Check-in/Check-out and Teacher Check, Connect, and Expect;
• Establish how Targeted supports will provide increased instruction, feedback, and home communication;
• Develop a foundational understanding of Functional Behavior Assessment and Universal Screening and create a plan to integrate these into the Targeted level of PBIS;
• Explore how data is used to identify students, monitor progress, and evaluate implementation;
• Consider how to center equity by ensuring access, representation, meaningful participation, and high outcomes;
• Determine format/s and content for staff training and information about Targeted foundations and implementation specifics;
• Plan for roll-out of PBIS at the Targeted level.
Intended Audience:
• School leadership team participants should include: principal and/or assistant principal, school PBIS coordinator, Supervisory Union/Supervisory District PBIS coordinator, classroom teacher/s, staff member who is likely to provide Check-in/Check-out support, other representative staff members, and, if possible, caregiver/parent/guardian representative.
• This training is also appropriate for Teams who previously attended this training and who want a Targeted refresher training.
• Wondering if this strand is for you? Contact Amy Wheeler-Sutton at amy.wheeler-sutton@uvm.edu.
The following will be handed out at the Institute (one per team):
Responding to Problem Behavior in Schools : The Behavior Education Program
by Leanne S. Hawken, Deanne A. Crone, Robert H. Horner
CANCELLED! Strand C - VTPBIS Intensive Training
CANCELLED!
Presenters: VTPBIS State Team Trainers
Prerequisites:
- The school has rolled-out PBIS at the Universal and Targeted levels.
- The team has confirmed a score of 70% on Tier I of the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) and completed Tiers II and III of the TFI.
- The team has identified school personnel who can complete simple and full Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Support Plans (BSPs).
- The school has agreed to use an information system to make data-based decisions regarding student behavior for students receiving supports at the Intensive level.
- The team has contacted their school’s VTPBIS TA to discuss readiness for the Intensive Level and have planned with TA to complete readiness activities (approximately 2 hours)
- School leadership teams must also complete these additional activities in advance of the training
Description:
The Intensive level of VTPBIS is designed to provide a continuum of individualized, comprehensive, and team-based interventions for students with complex issues whose needs have not been adequately addressed with less intensive PBIS interventions at the Universal and Targeted levels.
Students receiving supports at the Intensive Level of PBIS also access the interventions and supports in place at the Universal and Targeted Levels but may need further assessment and individualized planning.
The VTPBIS Intensive Training will support school teams in building and implementing (or refreshing) a system of Intensive supports based on strong Universal and Targeted foundations. Restorative principles and equity considerations will be infused throughout the training.
Learning Objectives:
School Leadership teams will:
- Refine and strengthen an Inventory of Targeted practices that can be adapted for individualized supports;
- Increase knowledge and fluency about the Intensive Level of VTPBIS with a restorative approach lens;
- Identify the systems functions, responsibilities, and roles at the Intensive Level;
- Understand the features of individualized supports, including:
o Teaming
o Setting Goals
o Assessment
o Intervention(s)
o Evaluation
- Intentionally explore ways to involve students and their family members meaningfully in goal-setting and intervention design;
- Develop strategies for building effective Behavior Support Plans;
- Explore the data systems needed to facilitate effective Behavior Support Plans;
- Consider strategies for building community supports that can support students across home, school, and community environments; and
- Plan for the roll-out of the Intensive level that supports equitable access to all students.
Intended Audience:
- School leadership team participants should include: the principal and/or assistant principal, school PBIS coordinator, Supervisory Union/Supervisory District PBIS coordinator, special educator/s, classroom teacher/s, staff member trained in FBA, other representative staff members, and, if possible, caregiver/parent/guardian representative
- This training is also appropriate for Teams who previously attended this training and who want an Intensive refresher training.
Strand D - Refreshing, Enhancing, and Deepening Universal PBIS Implementation
Presenters: VTPBIS State Team Trainers
Prerequisites (completed with TA support):
- School is implementing PBIS at the Universal Level
- For schools previously trained in PBIS that are no longer implementing PBIS, please contact your State TA to determine if this strand is the best option for your school.
- School leadership team must complete these activities.
Description:
This strand will provide opportunities for schools at any level of PBIS implementation to explore ways to strengthen their Universal implementation. Teams will take a deep dive into implementation strengths and needs in the areas of equity and cultural responsiveness, student and family voice, systems, and practices in each of the Universal core components: revisiting purpose; defining and refining expectations; teaching, practicing, and acknowledging prosocial behavior; preventing and responding instructionally to concerning behavior through a continuum of supports; and making decisions based on data.
This strand will differentiate content and activities based on individual school needs and school data. Schools may choose to attend in order to address needs including: deepening an already established Universal implementation; ensuring equity and cultural responsiveness; increasing implementation fidelity; building momentum and staff skill and commitment; responding to staff and/or administrator turnover; expanding/strengthening practices; refining systems; using data more effectively; and/or keeping up to date with PBIS best practices. Schools that have not trained at Universal for some time, that have not been able to access coaching, or that began implementing during the pandemic are especially encouraged to attend.
Learning Objectives:
School leadership teams will:
• Identify, examine, and respond to their school’s particular implementation needs;
• Refine school-wide systems, practices, and data-based decision-making processes needed for equitable, fidelity-based PBIS implementation and improved student outcomes;
• Identify and make a plan to address equity and cultural responsiveness needs;
• Explore ways to support staff around preventing and responding instructionally to concerning behaviors;
• Design a system for training and supporting new and returning staff in implementing PBIS with fidelity;
• Develop a 3-year action plan for implementation growth and professional development.
Intended Audience:
• School leadership team participants should include: principal or assistant principal, school PBIS coordinator, Supervisory Union/School District PBIS coordinator, other representative staff members, and, if possible, student and/or caregiver/parent/guardian representative(s).
• Wondering if this strand is for you? Contact Amy Wheeler-Sutton at amy.wheeler-sutton@uvm.edu.
Strand E - Expanding and Enhancing Targeted Interventions for Social and Academic Success
Presenters: VTPBIS State Trainers
Description:
In this strand, participants will explore how to broaden and enhance targeted interventions. Designed with a PBIS framework in mind, but accessible within the broader MTSS framework, participants and teams will explore ways to strengthen and build upon universal strategies while tightening up, enhancing, and developing new targeted interventions. Learning activities will focus on expanding "check-in/check- out,” using a function-based lens for matching interventions to student needs; and learning strategies for efficient group interventions to avoid the potential pitfalls of "universally individualized" interventions. Several classroom and school-wide examples will be provided.
Learning Objectives:
School Leadership teams will:
- Expand current thinking about student needs and how to meet them;
- Strengthen and enhance your school's inventory of targeted interventions;
- Identify methods to collect and use data to monitor progress and make decisions about duration, modification, and fading;
- Hear examples from multiple Vermont schools; and
- Plan a process for supporting staff to implement targeted interventions with fidelity.
Intended Audience:
Teams consisting of PBIS Targeted coordinator/members, EST members, school counselors, special educators, administrators, other representative staff members, and, if possible, student and/or caregiver/parent/guardian representative(s).
Strands for Anyone (Individuals or Teams)
Strand F - Everyday Equity: Achieving Equity in Your School Every Day in Every Way
Presenters: Dr. Sharla Horton-Williams and Dr. Toni Harrison-Kelly
Co-Founders/Partners of the SLSJ/Horton Kelly Company School Leadership for Social Justice
Description for first-time strand participants:
Everyday Equity: Achieving Equity in Your School Every Day in Every Way will approach equity from the inside out, beginning with simple identity work to help participants identify what influences how they interact with others. Through various interactive activities, participants will learn practical ways to apply the concept of equity to school discipline, teaching and learning, family engagement, and the school culture/physical environment.
Objectives for first-time strand participants:
1. Understand and apply concepts such as equity, racial consciousness, racial humility, racial identity, unconscious bias, and deficit mindset to their personal and professional lived experiences
2. Learn the basic steps of conducting their informal equity audit to inform school/organizational choices.
Description for returning strand participants:
Participants who attended last years' strand will work in small group coaching sessions to craft customized equity plans to support their personal identity goals and also outline their approach to facilitating equity-based changes in their professional environments.
Objectives for returning strand participants: (in addition to the objectives above) :
1. Participate in guided reflection to surface current gaps in knowledge of equitable practices.
2. Develop an action plan for deepening personal knowledge and applying their learning to their current professional context.
Intended Audience:
All educators and school professionals are welcome, and no prior training is required. We welcome individuals and teams. This strand is appropriate for all learning levels and serves students at every grade.
Bios:
Dr. Toni Harrison-Kelly is a fifteen-year exemplary teaching veteran and education consultant, having worked with a variety of community partners, including KERA, the Dallas-area PBS affiliate, and trained over 1,500 parents and teachers to date. Dr. Harrison-Kelly earned her Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction degree from Texas A&M University, where she focused on researching student engagement in high-poverty, high-minority schools. She currently leads the collaborative community involvement efforts of Southern Methodist University as the Executive Director of the The Budd Center for Communities in Education at Simmons College of Education and Human Development.
Dr. Sharla Horton-Williams is a career educator and organizational leader with a strong commitment to and vision for equity and justice in schools. Over the past 20 years, Sharla has served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in private, public charter, and traditional public schools. She has also held numerous community leadership roles and has extensive non-profit experience with education-adjacent organizations. As a full-time education consultant and co-founder of School Leadership for Social Justice, Sharla works with districts and schools nationally to actualize comprehensive strategies for equity and excellence. She earned a Doctor of Education from Texas A&M University. Currently, Sharla is leading the collaborative academic recovery efforts to support 150,000 students across three Dallas-area districts.
Strand G - Healing Forward
Presenter: Ali Hearn
Description:
The pandemic may be “over,” but the need to heal from its devastating impact is just beginning. Students and staff alike are activated on a daily basis. We are losing educators by the thousands and those remaining are struggling to stay hopeful and fulfilled. Our teams are talking about MTSS, Restorative Practices, PBIS, SEL, etc., but these critical pieces of the recovery puzzle are only as useful as our ability to understand and implement them effectively. To best support our students, we first need to better support our staff, and that means we start with you! Please join us for 4 amazing days as we reflect, relax, re-energize, and explore together our messy reality and the complexity of what it means to successfully heal forward.
Learning Objectives:
Participants can expect to:
- Work and share experiences within small groups to create community & connection while processing content together.
- Explore ways in which MTSS, RP, PBIS and SEL all work separately and together to support the social/emotional/behavioral/mental health needs of our students and staff.
- Experience activities & strategies, and explore resources & examples that can be utilized immediately.
- Leave with Action Steps to strengthen implementation in their own settings.
Intended Audience:
This session is for individuals wanting to grow personally and also bring back ideas, strategies and resources to their teams. Teams are welcome to attend with the knowledge that team members will engage is mixed school groups during some conversations and activities. They may find it beneficial to experience this session separately and then come together for action planning outside of the sessions. All levels of knowledge, roles, and stakeholders are invited.
Bio:
Ali Hearn, LCSW is a national keynote speaker, trainer, and coach whose mission is to shift mindsets and ignite fires within others to create sustainable change and impact. Throughout her career she has worked with thousands of educators across the country, emphasizing the importance of improving social/emotional skills, promoting the installation of Restorative Practices within school systems, and reinforcing MTSS frameworks to better support the current needs of students, staff, and families. Ali’s diverse experiences as a school-based social worker first sparked her passion for working with people, and her years working with the Midwest PBIS Network in partnership with the National Center on PBIS, honed her skills in strengthening school systems and culture to positively impact social, emotional, and academic outcomes.
Ali’s balance of energy, humor, candor, and heart not only inspires educators to want to make schools better, but empowers them to know they can. Her unique style and approach make her a sought after leader in educational spaces and a dynamic catalyst for change.
Ali received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois, her Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University in Chicago, is a certified Restorative Practices trainer, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She shares monthly strategies, reflections, and resources with a growing online community through her “SPARKS.” Find her at heyalihearn.com.
Strand H - Vermont Early MTSS - Pyramid Model Implementation
Presenters: Pyramid Plus 802 Coaches
Description:
This strand will be a full introduction for teams to learn how to begin implementing Pyramid Model practices for social and emotional development for early childhood classrooms and programs. Content is developmentally appropriate PBIS for birth through 3rd grade. We'll begin with an overarching view of systems that support implementation, as well as the "what" of Pyramid Model. We will share a full training of the universal practices (Tier 1) for the Pyramid Model and then dig into how to systematically collect and share data associated with Pyramid practices.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will understand:
- the purpose of a leadership team and
- the basic of universal supports of the Pyramid Model Framework
Participants will know:
- how Early MTSS/Pyramid Model and VTmtss/PBIS align with each other
- which data tools are appropriate for Early MTSS
Intended Audience:
Pyramid Model practices are developmentally appropriate for early childhood through grade 3, so any teachers, support staff, and administrators who serve those grade levels are welcome. Preschool teachers are encouraged to attend with their preschool administrators (Early Childhood director, preschool director, childcare director). Other team members may include early childhood special educators, speech and language pathologists, paraeducators, and assistant teachers.
Strand I - Proactive and Responsive De-Escalation Strategies to Maintain the Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Well-being of All
Presenters: Ken Kramberg and Evan Sivo
Description:
Building on educators’ existing toolkit of proactive classroom strategies, this strand will take a deeper dive into various effective de-escalation and response strategies necessary to ensure a safe learning environment where all students' social, emotional, and behavioral well-being is maintained. Participants will be exposed to best practices in de-escalation from both Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI)* and the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)*. Participants will learn about the Escalation/Crisis Cycle and engage in creating proactive relationship-building scripts and practicing corrective scripts to use with children who demonstrate self-defeating and concerning behaviors. Finally, participants will hear from a local School District on how they have embedded these strategies into a district-wide program that supports students in their home school community, avoiding out-of-school placements.
*while LSCI and CPI strategies will be shared, participants will not be certified.
Objectives:
- Identify proactive and preventative strategies that can be implemented by every provider in the school building and used with all students;
- Learn several strategies to de-escalate students by understanding the different stages in the Escalation/Crisis Cycle;
- Examine ways to improve relationships with students that exhibit challenging behaviors;
- Explore ways to create safe environments that frontload interventions to break the cycle before it begins.
Intended Audience:
All educators (i.e., classroom teachers, paraeducators, etc.) interested in building their toolkit of proactive classroom strategies and effective de-escalation strategies.
Bios:
Ken Kramberg is a founding member of the Vermont BEST Project and has been an active member since 1995. He is also a member of the VTPBIS State Team and provides training and technical assistance at all levels. Ken is one of a few internationally recognized Master Trainers in LSCI. Additionally, Ken is a master trainer in Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) and provides technical support to schools who request assistance around students with significant challenges. Ken has approximately 40 years of experience as a teacher and director of programs for children with challenging behaviors.
Evan Sivo is the Coordinator of the ATLAS Program for the Champlain Valley School District (CVSD). Evan is a licensed special educator and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Over the past 14 years, Evan has worked as a behavior interventionist (BI) within Howard Center's INCLUSION Program, a classroom teacher at the Baird School, and a special educator at Hinesburg Community School. Evan enjoys consulting and supporting school teams in developing high-quality programming for students with significant social-emotional and behavioral challenges.
FULL! Strand J - Inspire, Engage, Build Community, and Create Lasting Lessons! Experiential, Brain-Based Approaches to Integrate Social and Emotional Learning and Academics
FULL!
Presenter: Jen Stanchfield
Description:
Join this interactive strand and fill your toolbox with active, brain-based, and student-centered techniques to inspire, engage, and create lasting, meaningful lessons. Empower students to take ownership of learning, practice social and emotional skills, and build a positive, connected, inclusive, and supportive classroom community. Enliven academic and social-emotional learning content with active, student-centered participation methods to enhance involvement, buy-in, and retention. Harness the power of experiential learning, play, and reflection to teach, practice, and assess academics while cultivating collaboration, student voice, problem-solving, self and social awareness, and communication. Facilitate meaningful review and reflection to increase relevancy and depth of understanding. Leave with practical engagement strategies, creative inspiration, and new perspectives on your role as an educator, counselor, or leader.
Learning Objectives:
Attendees will take away:
- Experiential, brain-based methods to actively engage students physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually
- Interactive activities to build community while enlivening academic lessons and promoting social and emotional learning
- Practical methods to promote student voice, choice, engagement, and ownership of learning
- Reflective tools to help learners find meaning, increase depth of understanding, and application to future learning
- Responsive and dynamic techniques to teach, review, and reinforce academic and social-emotional learning content that helps learners apply content in meaningful, relevant ways
- Methods for creating a positive, responsive, and supportive environment for learning starting on day one and maintaining it throughout the school year
Intended Audience:
This workshop is intended for all audiences, all grade levels and disciplines looking to increase engagement and student voice, build community, and create lasting meaningful lessons. Participants will engage in a variety of movement activities.
Bio:
Jen Stanchfield works with schools worldwide to increase meaningful engagement, integration of social-emotional learning with academic content, and community building in the classroom and beyond. Jen's depth of experience, creativity, and knowledge of educational theory and practice is evident in her innovative yet practical workshops and publications that incorporate the art of facilitation and teaching with neuroscience and pedagogical research. Jen has worked as a teacher, a clinician in mental health treatment centers, an adventure educator, and professional training and organizational teambuilding. She earned her master’s degree in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University and continues to pursue the latest research from the educational neuroscience field. Through these diverse experiences, she has developed an extensive repertoire of evidence-informed experiential activities, tools, strategies to engage, and informative professional development, books, and teaching resources. She is the author of Tips and Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation, and Inspired Educator, Inspired Learner: Experiential, Brain-Based Activities, and Strategies to Engage, Motivate, and Create Lasting Lessons.
Strand K - Strengthening Classroom Practices and Systems to Support Students and Educators
Presenter: Brandi Simonsen
Description:
As our students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs are always changing, now is a great time to reflect on our own classroom practices to meet their unique needs and to create a positive learning environment. In this strand, participants will learn how to implement and differentiate core features of effective, research-based classroom practices to create safe and nurturing classroom environments that support all students' social, emotional, behavioral, and academic growth. Participants will consider how we develop effective classroom habits to support well-being of all and draft an action plan to develop effective classroom habits.
Objectives:
Specifically, after attending this strand, participants will be able to:
- Describe the core features of effective classroom practices to support all students, and develop an effective classroom environment plan.
- Discuss how we develop habits, and create an action plan to develop habits to support wellbeing in the classroom.
- Identify data and systems features needed to scale habits of effective classroom practices.
Intended Audience:
Classroom teachers, SEL Coaches, and any educator (K - Grade 12) who wants to improve their use of positive and proactive classroom practices to create nurturing environments. While not required, we recommend that individuals attend as a team with someone else from their school.
Bio:
Brandi Simonsen, PhD is a professor of Special Education and the Co-Director of the Center for Behavioral Education and Research (CBER; www.cber.org) at the University of Connecticut. She is also the Co-Director of the National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS; www.pbis.org), Co-Principal Investigator of the National Multi-Tiered System of Supports Research Network (www.mtss.org), and a Senior Advisor to the National Center on Intensive Interventions (intensiveintervention.org).
FULL! Strand L - Fostering Resilient Schools: Using our Collective Wisdom to Reset & Strengthen our Communities
FULL!
Presenter: Joelle van Lent
Description:
The complexity of working in our schools in the past three years has resulted in an opportunity to reinforce a collective and shared commitment to the well-being of our staff, as well as a need to strengthen the foundation of knowledge related to the components of trauma-responsive schools. Research and experience prior to the pandemic highlighted the essential components needed to support the capacity for all school community members to thrive, especially those most vulnerable. The collective wisdom gained through the pandemic has reinforced the importance of these concepts, as well as inspired us to reflect and redefine efforts to promote social-emotional skills and the well-being of our professionals.
This strand will pair understanding of the impact of stress and adversity on development with practical strategies that promote the resilience of all students. The strategies will focus on emotional regulation, relational health, and executive functioning skills for students that can be offered universally. Participants in this strand will receive efficient tools to increase the knowledge base of staff, including those with expertise in trauma-responsive schools and those who are newly engaged in this learning. In addition, participants will receive tools to discuss compassion satisfaction and vicarious trauma to increase the resilience of the adults who work in our schools.
Objectives:
By attending this strand, participants will:
- Learn about various forms of stress and the impact of exposure to trauma on child development, specifically focusing on emotional regulation, relational health, identity formation, and executive functioning.
- Gain insights related to how healthy motivation develops, as well as obtain strategies to promote increased motivation and engagement for students experiencing stress and adversity.
- Examine concepts related to the use of trauma-responsive discipline to promote student engagement and diminish inequities within a school community.
- Increase understanding of the factors essential to building a culture of community care, including the risks for compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout. This strand will include strategies to promote the well-being of school professionals.
Intended Audience:
This strand is appropriate for those who are relatively new to the topic of resilience and trauma-responsive schools, as well as those who have developed more advanced expertise. The information will be relevant to preschool through grade 12, as well as examples provided for this full range. The ideal participation option is for a school team to attend the full strand together, however, that is not required.
Bio:
Dr. Joelle van Lent is a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with children, families, and child serving agencies. Dr. van Lent has expertise as a therapist, clinician, evaluator, consultant, and trainer. Her work focuses on child and adolescent mental health, family therapy, trauma, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. van Lent’s approach is geared toward fostering resilience and creating communities that support healthy development. She is currently in private practice based in the northwestern part of Vermont and works across the state with schools and agencies.
Strand M - Holistic Restorative Approaches Foundations
Presenters: Camille Koosmann and Jessica Villeneuve
Description:
In this strand, participants will receive an introduction to Restorative Practices (RP) as well as explore and practice the ways that RP, trauma informed practices, mindfulness, SEL and equity all weave together to build and strengthen the skill, motivation, and capacity for all members of a school community to thrive. As the field of RP has evolved, emphasis has shifted on how to use the principles of restorative approaches to transform climate and culture so that less harm happens, students and adults are more engaged in learning and more willing and able to participate in difficult conversations. From this shift a new field has been born—Holistic Restorative Education (HRE). This approach recognizes that educators cannot meet their students’ needs well if their own needs are not being met, and therefore, seeks to change systems and practices that are more human-centered and support the needs of everyone. During our time together participants will learn practical ways to create a powerful shift in school culture, increase engagement, collaboration, and active responsibility.
Objectives:
- Listened to an overview of building a restorative school and practiced the foundational work of naming needs & developing strategies collaboratively.
- Examined the what and why of building a holistic restorative community by:
- Watching, experiencing and practicing check-in and connection circles;
- Exploring and experiencing “progressive risk taking” activities to build capacity & motivation;
- Examining and considering ways to apply the Balance in the Process to your teaching and leading;
- Reviewing resources for building your own holistic restorative community.
- Examined the “why” and “what” of Restorative Practices.
- Defined RP in your own words and in a way that is relevant for school staff, students, and your community—answering the question “What is RP and why should we practice it in our school?”
- Examined Affect Theory, Social Discipline Window and Compass of Shame and how these foundational understandings inform restorative practices.
- Explored and practiced Restorative Communication and informal restorative conversations using the P.A.I.R. Up! model and Restorative Language Tool Box.
- Witnessed and reflected on a response-to-harm conference.
- Explored the importance of and practiced “Optimistic Closures” in restorative and SEL centered schools.
- Developed a vision for integrating your learning and shared with other teams and educators.
- Reviewed accounts from schools who are implementing restorative practices and tools used to measure effective implementation and inform implementation process.
Intended Audience:
This strand is recommended for all educators who desire a comprehensive introduction to restorative practices and principles in order to lead school change. No prior experience is needed and those already familiar with the use of RP will have ample opportunities to share their experiences while expanding their knowledge.
Bios:
Camille Koosmann is a restorative practitioner, trainer, and coach who has been in the field of restorative practices since graduating from Champlain College in 2016. Camille has worked to apply restorative approaches in many settings, most recently in K-12 schools throughout Vermont. Camille formerly led the Restorative Practices in Schools program for the Franklin Grand Isle Restorative Justice Center, serving as the school-wide restorative practices coordinator for Bakersfield Elementary Middle School as well as providing support, training, and coaching to nine other schools in Franklin and Grand Isle counties. Currently she is the Youth Team Development Coordinator and school trainer for Starling Collaborative.
Jessica Villeneuve taught high school Global Citizenship for over a decade. During that time, she spearheaded the school’s efforts towards Restorative Practices to better address issues of inequity and conflict. From there, she began to present to a wider audience on the powerful impact of these processes. By becoming an administrator, Jessica began training teachers to implement restorative approaches in their classrooms and thereby decreasing behavior referrals and increasing the strength of the learning community. In the role of school administrator, she loved being able to work closely with families and community stakeholders to repair harms and work towards restoring relationships. As someone who has taken on a wide range of roles in schools, from paraeducator and tutor to teacher to principal, she brings a deep understanding of the complex challenges facing schools today and brings empathy and understanding to her work. She is the Director of Events for Starling Collaborative.
Strands for School Teams Only
Strand N - Deepening and Strengthening Restorative Approaches for the Well-being of All (Advanced)
Presenter: Jon Kidde
Description:
A restorative approach involves principle-based processes and practices that can be applied to help things go right, as well as respond when things go wrong. This whole-school approach links well within the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework.
This strand will build the capacity of participants to enhance and deepen school-wide practices that promote belonging, relationship building, and co-creating agreements around how the community wants to be with one another. These practices help things go right. These practices are relied upon when things go wrong. This strand will support school teams to map consistent procedures when learning is disrupted that are aligned with restorative approaches.
Objectives:
Through active participation and using the opportunities to apply course content to their schools, upon completion, participants will:
- Build upon their current understanding of restorative approaches and MTSS
- Design and facilitate relationship building processes
- Plan processes to co-create classroom/school agreements
- Map procedures for responding when learning is disrupted with a restorative lens
- Explore strategies and skills needed within their school community to do this work well
- Connect to a community of colleagues who are exploring and working to integrate restorative approaches and MTSS
Intended Audience:
All participants should have had previous training in the foundations of restorative approaches. Please register with a team of at least 2-3 (preferably including an administrator). This advanced strand is intended for school teams looking to dig deeper into restorative approaches, explore the integration and alignment of a restorative approach within the MTSS framework at the systems level, and build the capacity of their team.
Bio:
Jon Kidde has been exploring the concepts of restorative justice (RJ) for 20 years and has played a critical role in the conceptualization, application, and enhancement of restorative justice within different contexts—education, justice, and within organizations in several states. Jon is currently an independent consultant focused on restorative justice and school discipline & juvenile justice reform living in Vermont. Jon received an MSW degree from the School of Social Welfare at University of California – Berkeley. He co-authored Restorative Justice: A Working Guide for Our Schools with Rita Alfred during the initial implementation of RJ within Oakland Unified School District. He is a Certified Dialogue Education Teacher.
