Day 1 | Thursday | November 3rd | 8am - 12pm MT

Intersection of Trauma and Sensory in the Schools | Dr. Colleen Whiting & Rachel Ashcraft

This course invites participants to consider the ways that trauma and sensory needs intersect within a school environment. Introduction to multifaceted considerations and programming will be discussed. Resources for next steps and practical tools will be provided to all participants. This course is appropriate for practitioners, administrators, educators, and parents.

Learning Objectives

As a result of this session participants will be able to:

• Examine how trauma and sensory intersect.

• Analyze relevant theories that explain the intersection between trauma and sensory experiences. 

• Evaluate and recommend multifaceted programming approaches that effectively support the participation and performance of individuals with trauma and sensory needs in the school setting.

Promoting Student Participation: Collecting Data to Identify Effective Interventions | Dr. Gloria Frolek Clark

EXPERT PANEL - Interdisciplinary Team Insights | Dr. Colleen Whiting, Andrea Stafford, Stephanie Patrick, Kara Muirhead and Alicia Whitehead

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Day 2 | Thursday | November 10th | 8am - 12pm MT

Happy Teacher, Happy Students: Social Emotional Wellness for Educators | Ashford Duffy

Nature + Schools = Health | Dr. Amy Wagenfeld

Nature is a powerful teacher.  While the COVID-19 pandemic may have wreaked havoc on in person learning and provision of related services, some school districts deemed in person learning, being, and doing as a necessity. Classrooms moved outside. Therapy moved outside. And for many, it worked. And it worked well, because nature teaches, and nature heals.

As we return to traditional, inside learning and provision of related services, we need not undo the lessons learned from moving classrooms and therapies outside and the benefits that children and staff alike reaped. For the sake of our children and those who educate and provide therapy services for them, we need nature to remain front and center as a vital partner in the overall educational process, whether in the classroom or outside. The focus of this session is to explore ways to incorporate nature into school settings and understand the evidence that finds it supports sensory health, mental health, physical health, and subsequently, learning.

Why Sensory Integration Intervention in the School Setting? | Dr. Colleen Whiting and Dr. Sarah Schoen

This session will discuss how laws and guidelines apply to the decision regarding school-based service delivery for children whose sensory integration and processing is impacting their participation and performance in the school setting. Relevant research will be reviewed regarding current evidence-based practice that supports sensory integrative intervention in schools. Finally, a model will be discussed for use of sensory integration intervention in the school setting that aligns with laws, guidelines, and implementation of an evidence-based practice. 

Learning Objectives

As a result of this session participants will be able to:

• Justify the importance of sensory integration intervention in the school setting.  

• Analyze the legislation that governs service delivery in schools and its influence on decision-making processes. 

• Report evidence supporting a pull-model 

• Develop a conceptual understanding of how a pull-out model can be implemented effectively in the school environment. 

EXPERT PANEL - Through the Advocate Lens | Dan Rosien, Noah Seback, Kieran Rose, Matt Hayes, Meghan Ashburn & Rebecca Mercer  

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Day 3 | Thursday | November 17th | 8am - 12pm MT

Utilizing Sensory Awareness to Create a Compassionate Classroom | Amy Lewis and Heather Spann

This course will describe the foundations of creating a compassionate classroom and will provide you with simple interventions that you can use with individuals, in groups, or with a whole class.  These easy-to-implement interventions draw on sensory awareness and create a connection between students that builds compassion in the classroom.  Specifically, we will look at the concepts of felt safety, body sensing, connection, and self-compassion. We will discuss why these tools work and why creating a compassionate classroom is so important.

Learning Objectives

As a result of this session participants will be able to:

• Define the concept of a compassionate classroom and articulate its significance. 

• Explain the relationship between felt safety, body sensing, connection, and self-compassion in the context of self-regulation and the development of a compassionate classroom. 

• Identify a range of activities that promote connection, felt safety, and compassion within the classroom environment. 

Promoting Participation and Health During Lunch and Recess: Comfortable Cafeteria and Refreshing Recess Programs | Dr. Sue Bayzk

Non-academic times of the school day, can be significant contributors to student mental and physical health. Conditions that promote positive mental health include participation in enjoyable activities within caring environments that foster positive emotions (Fredrickson & Joiner, 2018). When students enjoy lunch and recess, have good friends, and perceive school personnel to be supportive, they feel more connected to school which, in turn, enhances academic performance (Blum, 2005).
 
The aim of this session is to provide detailed information about how to implement the Comfortable Cafeteria (CC) and Refreshing Recess (RR) programs emphasizing inclusive participation, friendship promotion, mealtime conversations, healthy eating, and active play. Strategies for embedding universal trauma informed care (TIC) for communities with trauma will be shared to support the success of the CC and RR programs. Success stories of how related service providers (OT, PT, SLP) collaborate with relevant school personnel in creative ways to implement these programs in urban, suburban, and rural schools will be described.
 
Learning Objectives

As a result of this session participants will be able to:

• Apply the principles of inclusive participation, friendship promotion, and trauma-informed care to implement the Comfortable Cafeteria and Refreshing Recess programs, emphasizing mental and physical health and building supervisor capacity. 

• Analyze and adapt the Comfortable Cafeteria and Refreshing Recess programs to meet the unique needs of diverse school settings, such as urban, rural, and suburban, by examining success stories and best practices.  

How to Respectfully and Effectively Support Big Feelings and Big Behaviors in the Classroom | Shelley Carnes

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP - The IEP Process: Strategies for Enhancing Collaboration | Jan Hollenbeck

Learning Objectives

As a result of this session participants will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of the collaborative team approach within the IEP process under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004. 

• Analyze real or potential barriers to effective collaboration for students with sensory challenges and propose strategies and solutions to overcome these barriers. 

• Reflect on personal experiences and utilize the presented strategies to develop a specific plan that promotes a more collaborative IEP process.