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Iowa BEST: Behavioral, Equitable, Social-Emotional... has ended
Iowa BEST: Behavioral, Equitable, Social-Emotional, Trauma-Informed Health in Schools Summit
The Iowa BEST Summit is designed to highlight educators’ collective need to bolster support and care across the educational system, and to build shared capacity to get there. The sessions will deliver resources and practical solutions around social-emotional-behavioral health. #IowaBEST2021

The summit is co-sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education and the University of Iowa College of Education.

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WiFi: Iowa Best Summit 2021 Password: mentalhealth21
Tuesday, November 2
 

8:00am CDT

Check-In
Tuesday November 2, 2021 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Memorial Hall - Community Choice Convention Center

9:00am CDT

Opening Remarks
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Ann Lebo

Dr. Ann Lebo

Director, Iowa Department of Education
Dr. Ann Lebo was appointed as Director of the Iowa Department of Education in March of 2020. She previously served as Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners and as Iowa's Chief Talent Officer for the Council of Chief State School Officers. Prior to her work... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 9:00am - 9:15am CDT
Grand Ballroom

9:15am CDT

Prioritizing Efforts to Address Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health Needs of Children and Youth: Why Now?
The need for addressing social, emotional, behavioral and mental health needs of children and youth has been increasing over the past decade, this critical need became more public during the past two years of the COVID pandemic. This session will explore why  addressing these issues now is critical if schools and programs are to be successful in providing children and youth access to and full participation in schools and programs and educational and life opportunities.  This session will also provide an overview of a newly released U.S. Department of Education document, Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs.  In  addition to exploring the seven recommendations included in the document, the importance of prioritizing social emotional, behavioral, and mental health practices will be shared as well as evidence based  strategies for schools and programs to implement.

Speakers
avatar for Dr. Renee Bradley

Dr. Renee Bradley

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs
Renee Bradley, Ph.D., has over thirty-five years of experience in special education. She began her career as a teacher of students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. During those eight years she worked in a variety of settings from self-contained to an inclusion program to... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 9:15am - 10:10am CDT
Grand Ballroom

10:30am CDT

Accelerate Don't Remediate: Effectiveness of Accelerating Learning
Presents new research on the strong evidence that learning acceleration works, and that it could be key to unwinding generations-old academic inequities the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated.

Speakers
avatar for Mya Baker

Mya Baker

Vice President, TNTP
Mya Baker leads TNTP’s consulting work in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pittsburgh, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, with a focus on helping educators, schools, and school systems expand access to opportunity.Previously... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 312-315

10:30am CDT

Beneath the Difficult Conversation: Engaging Families in their Student's Mental Health
This session will provide participants with strategies that will lead to more productive conversations related to behavior, equity, social-emotional, trauma and mental health.

Speakers
avatar for Deb Thomas

Deb Thomas

Adjunct Professor/State Special Education Mediator, Presenter
Deb Thomas has been an educator and advocate in the area of special education for over thirty years. Deb was a special education teacher for many years with a specialty in behavior disorders. She was the Director of the Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center at Drake University... Read More →
avatar for Cyndy Erickson

Cyndy Erickson

Independent Consultant, CE Consulting
Cyndy Erickson has worked in Education for over 30 years, specializing in school climate, dropoutprevention and creating effective community collaborations that support all students in maximizingtheir potential. Cyndy served Des Moines Public Schools students and families for over... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 319-320

10:30am CDT

Engaging All Families to Support the Whole Child in Middle School and Beyond
As students develop throughout their education, we recognize a change in how we engage families, especially in middle school and high school. This presentation will focus on research-based strategies for family engagement that foster autonomy, motivation, academic performance, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and positive self-esteem of middle school and high school students.



Feel free to visit our website for our middle school family engagement resources here: https://ohiofamiliesengage.osu.edu/2019/11/05/mstransition/ and our MTSS approach to family engagement here: https://ohiofamiliesengage.osu.edu/2020/12/16/tiered-approach-to-family-engagement-notecatcher/

Speakers
avatar for Dr. Barbara Boone

Dr. Barbara Boone

Director, Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center, The Ohio State University
Barbara Boone, Ph.D., is the Principal Investigator and Director of the federally funded Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE).  In this role, Barbara leads a team conducting family engagement initiatives creating professional... Read More →
avatar for Hadley Bachman

Hadley Bachman

Hadley Bachman is a Program Manager, Community Development at the Center on Education and Training for Employment, where she supports, develops and advances the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center in terms of training development, program promotion, research support and community... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 321

10:30am CDT

It's Tough Right Now--Let Us Help!
This  student created and presented session, will demonstrate the unique perspectives gained with the inclusion of student voice in your district, building, and/or classroom.  This diverse group of students will  share their perceptions of what students need and how the meaningful involvement of students can help create and sustain a safe and caring learning environment that helps meet the social-emotional-behavioral health needs of students.  

Speakers
avatar for Hannah, (she/her)

Hannah, (she/her)

Event Manager, Student Presenter Iowa Student Learning Institute
Hannah has served as the Event Manager for IowaSLI since December of 2018. She is a Sophmore at Norwalk High School and currently serves as the Sophmore Class President of the Norwalk Student Council. As the Event Manager, Hannah helps coordinate all of IowaSLI’s regional and statewide... Read More →
AS

Aarushi, (she/her)

Student Presenter
avatar for Bela, (she/her)

Bela, (she/her)

Student Presenter
I am a senior at Norwalk High School. I’m a leader for the DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusivity) student led group, debate captain, Public Relations Executive on Student Council, and a member of PODER (Latinx student Group. I have acted as a translator and transportation to get... Read More →
K

Kaleb

Student Presenter
R

Roland

Student Presenter


Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 318

10:30am CDT

Media's Effect on Children's Social-Emotional Health: For Better and Worse
Children and adolescents spend more time on electronic media than any other thing. Is this good? Is this bad? We will examine the science that answers these questions, including examining studies on media violence, prosocial media, and video game "addiction."

Speakers
avatar for Dr. Douglas Gentile

Dr. Douglas Gentile

Professor of Psychology, Iowa State University
Dr. Douglas Gentile is an award-winning research scientist, educator, author, and is professor of psychology at Iowa State University.  His research primarily focuses on how children's media use influences health and wellness. He is the editor of the book Media Violence and Chil... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 316-317

10:30am CDT

Addressing Equity in School Discipline
This presentation outlines a blueprint that leverages the positive behavioral interventions and supports framework in completion of the following: (a) code of conduct revisions; (b) data analysis; (c) cultural and implicit bias awareness; and (d) culturally responsive hiring, training, and teaching.

Speakers
avatar for Sara McDaniel

Sara McDaniel

Director, Center for Interconnected Behavioral and Mental Health Systems
Dr. McDaniel is a professor of Special Education in the Department of Special Education and Multiple Abilities at the University of Alabama and is the Director of the Center for Interconnected Behavioral and Mental Health Systems (CIBMHS). The CIBMHS is a research center that engages... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 107

10:30am CDT

Check & Connect: An Evidence-Based Student Engagement Intervention
Check & Connect (C&C) is a Tier 2/3 intervention used with K-12 students who demonstrate warning signs of disengagement within school socially and academically, and who are at risk of dropping out. At the core of Check & Connect is a trusting relationship between the student and a caring, trained, school-based mentor who both advocates for and challenges the student to keep education salient. Iowa has a strong cadre of trainers throughout the state. The presenter will share an overview of C&C, district implementation data, and processes from within our state. This session will help schools/districts identify readiness indicators and integration within MTSS.
SMORE - https://www.smore.com/g8h5v

Speakers
avatar for Shelli Blazic

Shelli Blazic

Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) Coordinator, Great Prairie Area Education Agency
Shelli Blazic is a Licensed Clinical School Social Worker with Great Prairie Area Education Agency (GPAEA) in Iowa and serves as a MTSS Social-Emotional Behavior Health (SEBH) Consultant. As a content developer, instructor, coach, and consultant, she assists schools and districts... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 103

10:30am CDT

Conditions For Learning Toolkit
This session is for school district staff who facilitate the Conditions for Learning (CfL) continuous improvement process at the building and/or district level. The session will provide an overview of the revised CfL guide. Attendees will be asked to provide feedback to strengthen and improve the guide.

Speakers
DB

Dr. Barbara Ohlund

Administrative Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
BA

Barb Anderson

Administrative Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
avatar for Jen Adams

Jen Adams

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
Jen Adams is an Education Program Consultant in the Bureau of School Improvement for the Iowa Department of Education. She is a school psychologist and MTSS enthusiast, keenly interested in student outcomes and teacher supports. Jen has worked in special education at Iowa AEAs and... Read More →
CC

Courtney Clement

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
SS

Stacie Stokes

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education


Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 102

10:30am CDT

Finding the “Fuel” for Learning and Emotional Well-Being: Why We Need to Measure Social-Emotional Engagement in our Learning Environments (Part 1)
As our communities and schools grapple with the mitigation of learning loss due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of learner engagement has become a critical topic of discussion. Findings of research in social neuroscience of social emotional engagement foster our ability to create supportive learning environments where social emotional engagement is a “fuel” for a child’s learning and emotional well-being.  While standards-based instruction is our focus in the classroom, our learners are more likely to access the curriculum when they are “invested,” “independent” and “initiating” with their peers and teachers.  When school communities gain knowledge of how to measure and enhance student engagement within classroom lessons, we create a positive school climate that is focused on the success of every student. The Social Emotional Engagement – Knowledge and Skills (SEE-KS) is a professional learning framework and approach that will be shared so that we can follow a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework when enhancing our instruction.   Participants will learn about the Social Engagement Ladder, a freely accessible tool for measuring learning engagement and identifying opportunities for enhancing engagement. 

Participants will:
  1. Define three critical elements of active engagement that are predictive of our learner’s academic achievement and emotional well-being, 
  2. Identify a rubric for measuring learner engagement in standards-based instruction and natural activities.


Speakers
avatar for Jen Townsend

Jen Townsend

Owner, Universal Access Consulting, LLC
Jen Townsend, M.Ed. is an educational consultant with expertise in social emotional learning differences, including autism spectrum disorders. She is also the owner of Universal Access Consulting, LLC, a company that specializes in professional development and collaborative consultation... Read More →
avatar for Emily Rubin

Emily Rubin

Director, Communication Crossroads, Inc.
Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP is the Director of Communication Crossroads, Inc., a private practice specializing in the provision of professional development workshops.  She has served as a member of an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Ad Hoc Committee on Autism Spectrum... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 108

10:30am CDT

Making MTSS for SEBH Work in a Rural School District
Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) provides a model for a multi-tiered system of support for student behavior and mental health. One of the foundational principles of ISF is integrating community mental health providers into the school system; however, many rural communities lack access to community mental health providers. In this presentation, participants will learn about a unique partnership between Great Prairie AEA, North Mahaska Community Schools, and the University of Northern Iowa in which they utilized the ideas of ISF to develop and implement a multi-tiered system to support student social, emotional, behavioral and mental health needs. Participants will discuss the 5 year journey, system successes, and continued challenges to implementation and sustainability.  

Speakers
avatar for Nicole Skaar

Nicole Skaar

Associate Professor, University of Northern Iowa
Dr. Nicole Skaar is a school psychology trainer and associate professor at the University of Northern Iowa. Dr. Skaar received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Prior to accepting a faculty position at UNI in 2011, Dr. Skaar worked as a school psychologist... Read More →
avatar for Angela Livezey

Angela Livezey

Superintendent, North Mahaska Community Schools



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 105

10:30am CDT

Suicide Prevention within MTSS (Part 1)
Part 1. This session will address suicide prevention within the context of an Interconnected Systems Framework. Participants will learn about suicide prevention, intervention, and response after a suicide; all situated within a multi-tiered system of social-emotional-behavioral health. Resources and examples will be shared.

Speakers
avatar for Kelly Perales

Kelly Perales

Co-Director & Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Midwest PBIS Network
Kelly Perales is the Co-Director of the Midwest PBIS Network and an Implementer Partner with the Center on PBIS. As such, Kelly provides professional development and technical assistance for state and local leaders in the implementation and scale up of PBIS, the evidence-based multi-tiered... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 101

10:30am CDT

Suicide Screening and Intervention in Schools
 Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for youth and rates continue to rise each year. According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the number of high school students in the U.S. who considered suicide had increased to almost 19% in 2019. This session will focus on the need for ALL educators to be involved in the identification of students at risk for suicide. Information regarding the latest research on how to assist students in crisis will be provided.

Speakers
avatar for Laura Gallo

Laura Gallo

Assistant Professor, University of Iowa
Dr. Laura Gallo is an Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa in the Counselor Education department. She earned her PhD in Counselor Education from the University of Iowa in 2016 and was an Assistant Professor and School Counseling Program Coordinator at Boise State University... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 104

10:30am CDT

Using Data to Inform and Improve Quality School-Based Mental Health
Learn how use of data reduced barriers to service and improved student success.  Specific examples and strategies from a successful school-based mental health-school partnership will be described and specific examples and strategies to strengthen mental health supports for students will be provided.

Speakers
avatar for Donna Kitrick

Donna Kitrick

Project AWARE, Waterloo Community Schools
Donna A. Kitrick, MSW, LISW is a Mental Health Coordinator for Waterloo Community Schools, previously she held the position as the Now Is the Time (Project AWARE) grant coordinator for the district. She received her Master’s in Social Work from San Diego State University and earned... Read More →
avatar for Alyssa Fruchtenicht

Alyssa Fruchtenicht

Licensed Independent Social Worker, Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health Center
Alyssa Fruchtenicht is a Licensed Independent Social Worker at Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health Center. After graduating from Buena Vista University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Alyssa went on to obtain a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Northern Iowa... Read More →
avatar for Marla Padget

Marla Padget

Executive Director of Student and At-Risk Services, Waterloo Community School District
Marla Padget is the Executive Director of Student and At-Risk Services for the Waterloo Community School District. She has held numerous positions within the Waterloo Schools including teaching at East High for 12 years; an Assistant Administrator/Athletic Director at Central Middle... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 106

10:30am CDT

Strategic Planning Session for the Iowa Center for School Mental Health
Provide your perspective on school-based mental health needs in Iowa in this interactive and engaging session. Participants will consider gaps in our system and provide input to be used as part of the Center’s strategic planning efforts.

Speakers

Tuesday November 2, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 401

11:45am CDT

Lunch
Boxed lunch is provided. 

Tuesday November 2, 2021 11:45am - 1:00pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall C

1:00pm CDT

Equitable Instruction: Assessing Student Needs, Focus of Lesson and Accelerating Learning (Part 1)
Workshop focused on the daily lesson analysis process to develop clear and focused lessons with supports and scaffolds to accelerate learning through equitable, grade-level goals of a lesson.

Speakers
KS

Kathy Scebold

Professional Learning and Leadership Consultant, Heartland AEA 11
avatar for Tina Wahlert

Tina Wahlert

Administrative Consultant, Iowa Department of Education



Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 312-313

1:00pm CDT

Equitable Instruction: Assessing Student Needs, Focus of Lesson and Accelerating Learning (Part 1)
Workshop focused on the daily lesson analysis process to develop clear and focused lessons with supports and scaffolds to accelerate learning through equitable, grade-level goals of a lesson.
Session Resources:

Speakers
WR

Wendy Robinson

Director of Instructional Services, Heartland AEA
avatar for Kathy Bertsch

Kathy Bertsch

Administrative Consultant MTSS, Iowa Department of Education
Kathy Bertsch is the Administrative Consultant for MTSS with the Iowa Department of Education. She supports statewide MTSS implementation through differentiated accountability and statewide school improvement including work focused on accelerating learning, evidence-based interventions... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 314-315

1:00pm CDT

Learning Acceleration and Equity: How access to grade-level assignments is the starting part for equitable instructional experiences
By the end of this session, participants will be able to. . .
  • Explain how learning acceleration can create more equitable experiences for students. 
  • Understand how access to grade-level assignments improves student outcomes and how remediation slows down student learning.
  • Utilize tools to evaluate assignments to determine if they are grade level. 

Speakers
avatar for Mya Baker

Mya Baker

Vice President, TNTP
Mya Baker leads TNTP’s consulting work in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pittsburgh, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, with a focus on helping educators, schools, and school systems expand access to opportunity.Previously... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 317

1:00pm CDT

Beneath the Difficult Conversation: Engaging Families in their Student's Mental Health
This session will provide participants with strategies that will lead to more productive conversations related to behavior, equity, social-emotional, trauma and mental health.

Speakers
avatar for Deb Thomas

Deb Thomas

Adjunct Professor/State Special Education Mediator, Presenter
Deb Thomas has been an educator and advocate in the area of special education for over thirty years. Deb was a special education teacher for many years with a specialty in behavior disorders. She was the Director of the Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center at Drake University... Read More →
avatar for Cyndy Erickson

Cyndy Erickson

Independent Consultant, CE Consulting
Cyndy Erickson has worked in Education for over 30 years, specializing in school climate, dropoutprevention and creating effective community collaborations that support all students in maximizingtheir potential. Cyndy served Des Moines Public Schools students and families for over... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 319-320

1:00pm CDT

Embracing the Role of Student Voice in Mental Health Advocacy and Suicide Prevention
Student mental health is more important now than it has ever been before. Educators and students need to work together to improve school climate, especially in the area of school mental health. This session will help educators learn how to connect to their students in meaningful ways through trauma informed practices. Students from Iowa will share their thoughts on how to create an environment where students feel safe and empowered to break mental health stigma, develop strong relationships with educators and peers, and seize leadership opportunities around mental health.

Speakers
avatar for Jessica Christensen

Jessica Christensen

Director of Community Development and Training, Please Pass the Love
Jessica graduated from Iowa State University with her bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education. She went on to attain her master’s degree in Education from Graceland University. Jessica taught middle school reading and writing for 12 years before transitioning to her role... Read More →
SS

Sydney, (She/Her)

Student Presenter
MT

Margo (They/Them)

Student Presenter
ES

Estrella (She/Her)

Student Presenter


Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 316

1:00pm CDT

Empowering Youth Voice: Participatory Evaluation Model Across a Public School System
Youth Participatory Evaluation (YPE) allows our students to become evaluators. Born out of the Distrsict's agreement with the Office of Civil Rights, YPE students in each high school choose a research question that is important to them and relates to their education, school climate, and/or student engagement. The team then tries to answer their question by collecting voices at their school, amplifying what they hear, and taking action. Youth recommendations contribute to school, district, and community discussions and decisions. We believe youth have expertise that needs to be heard. This session will be co-led by MPS student. We will provde an overiw of our model as well as ideas on how to adapt for your local context.

Speakers
avatar for Eric Moore

Eric Moore

Minneapolis Public Schools, Chief of Accountability, Innovation and Research
MH

Maren Henderson

Evaluation Specialist, Minneapolis Public Schools


Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 321

1:00pm CDT

It's Tough Right Now--Let Us Help!
This  student created and presented session, will demonstrate the unique perspectives gained with the inclusion of student voice in your district, building, and/or classroom.  This diverse group of students will  share their perceptions of what students need and how the meaningful involvement of students can help create and sustain a safe and caring learning environment that helps meet the social-emotional-behavioral health needs of students.  

Speakers
avatar for Hannah, (she/her)

Hannah, (she/her)

Event Manager, Student Presenter Iowa Student Learning Institute
Hannah has served as the Event Manager for IowaSLI since December of 2018. She is a Sophmore at Norwalk High School and currently serves as the Sophmore Class President of the Norwalk Student Council. As the Event Manager, Hannah helps coordinate all of IowaSLI’s regional and statewide... Read More →
AS

Aarushi, (she/her)

Student Presenter
avatar for Bela, (she/her)

Bela, (she/her)

Student Presenter
I am a senior at Norwalk High School. I’m a leader for the DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusivity) student led group, debate captain, Public Relations Executive on Student Council, and a member of PODER (Latinx student Group. I have acted as a translator and transportation to get... Read More →
K

Kaleb

Student Presenter
R

Roland

Student Presenter


Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 318

1:00pm CDT

Students Can Do More: Authentically Engaging Students in Your Schoolwide Efforts
This session will highlight the efforts one rural mid-atlantic district has made to leverage Tier 1 practices that schools are implementing to create a platform for stakeholder voice and a thus a new way of work to effectively respond to changing needs of the local school-communities. Students will be a part of this presentation as well as clips of various student interviews (elementary to high school) that have increased district leaders' understanding of what is working and what shifts to implementation will create the optimal conditions for students to thrive academically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally.

Speakers
avatar for Patti Hershfeldt

Patti Hershfeldt

Co-Director, Center for Social Behavior Support
Dr. Patti Hershfeldt is the Co-Director of the Center for Social Behavior Support @ Old Dominion University Patti co-chairs the APBS HS Network that supports high schools with implementation of SW PBIS/MTSS and aims to bridge connections between fellow implementors and researchers... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 311

1:00pm CDT

A Proposed Model for Iowa School-Based Mental Health Services
Iowa schools are integrating a variety of mental health providers into their systems to support both general and special education students. Participants will discuss proposed roles and responsibilities of both school-employed and community-employed mental health personnel within an MTSS framework. Participants will discuss why a statewide framework to support student's social, emotional, mental, and behavioral needs is necessary for efficient and effective systems that result in optimal student outcomes.

Speakers
avatar for Emilie Souhrada

Emilie Souhrada

Social Worker, Central Rivers Area Education Agency
Emilie Souhrada, MSW, LISW, is a licensed independent social worker who received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa in Social Work and Spanish and her Master’s degree in Social Work in 2005 with a school social work specialization from the University of... Read More →
avatar for Nicole Skaar

Nicole Skaar

Associate Professor, University of Northern Iowa
Dr. Nicole Skaar is a school psychology trainer and associate professor at the University of Northern Iowa. Dr. Skaar received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Prior to accepting a faculty position at UNI in 2011, Dr. Skaar worked as a school psychologist... Read More →
JL

Jaclyn Lussenhop

School Counselor, President Elect, Iowa School Counselors Association, College Community Schools
avatar for Kyla Loucks

Kyla Loucks

LMHC / Owner, Concord Counseling Solutions
Kyla Loucks is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in private practice with a special interest in assisting adults create a better understanding of their past, with the hope of breaking generational cycles of emotional dysregulation, in order to create a more resilient future for the... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 105

1:00pm CDT

Align, Integrate, Eliminate: Creating an Effective and Efficient System (Part 2)
Part 2: Align, Integrate, Eliminate: Creating an Effective and Efficient System
This session will describe how expanding the core features of an evidence-based multi-tiered system of support for SEBH can lead to improved student outcomes. Participants will learn about tools and resources that are available to assist their efforts in these challenging times. Examples will be shared.

Speakers
avatar for Kelly Perales

Kelly Perales

Co-Director & Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Midwest PBIS Network
Kelly Perales is the Co-Director of the Midwest PBIS Network and an Implementer Partner with the Center on PBIS. As such, Kelly provides professional development and technical assistance for state and local leaders in the implementation and scale up of PBIS, the evidence-based multi-tiered... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 101

1:00pm CDT

Brain-Based Relational Strategies to Support Social-Emotional Well-Being
This presentation will focus on practices that cue our brains and bodies for safety, connection, and the ability to thrive even when our experiences and relationships feel challenging. Participants will learn how to: -Create caring, trusting, connections in classrooms and schools. -Use the science of relationships to address adversity and trauma. -Find ways to support the stress response cycle in students, staff, and ourselves. -Build opportunities for social emotional development and resiliency.

Speakers
avatar for Damien Chance

Damien Chance

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, Drake University
Damien Chance, t-LMHC, CRC has Master's Degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Rehabilitation Counseling from Drake University. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and a current Ph.D. candidate in Drake University's Doctor of Philosophy... Read More →
avatar for Alyssa Caldbeck

Alyssa Caldbeck

Mental Health Consultant, Drake University and Iowa Project Launch
Alyssa Caldbeck, LISW, RPT-S, IME-® has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Iowa.  She is a Licensed Independent Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, and endorsed through the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health as an Infant Mental Health... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 102-103

1:00pm CDT

Evidence-Based Practices for SEB and the Life Course Model
The presentation will include descriptions of frequently used services in schools to help students with emotional and behavioral problems along with information about the extent to which each is supported by the evidence (i.e., evidence-based). Information about additional services that are evidence-based, but not widely used will also be shared. The Life Course Model will be presented as a framework to help choose services most likely to be helpful to individual students.

Speakers
avatar for Steven Evans

Steven Evans

Co-Director of the Center for Intervention Research in Schools, Ohio University
Dr. Steven Evans is a Distinguished Professor in the Psychology Department and Co-Director of the Center for Intervention Research in Schools at Ohio University. He began his career as a special education teacher in a public elementary school and ever since he has focused his work... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 104

1:00pm CDT

Finding the "Fuel" for Learning and Emotional Well-Being – “What” We Can Do to Enhance Social-Emotional Engagement (Part 2)
In this session, participants will explore the “what” of enhancing engagement by sharing and exploring strategies that enhance social emotional engagement and a sense of belonging in the classroom setting.  Consistent with a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, Social Emotional Engagement - Knowledge and Skills (SEE-KS) provides freely accessible tools that participants will be able to use for designing instruction to get the hook, present information in different ways, and foster different modes of expression.  Participants will learn about the freely accessible tool, the SEE-KS Quick Reference tool, as a reference for identifying strategies for enhancing engagement. 
Participants will:
  1. Identify three domains of essential instructional strategies that promote active student engagement and positive outcomes in learning and emotional well-being, and
  2. Apply a checklist of instructional strategies for fostering the emotional “hook,” providing information in different ways, and fostering student expression within academic activities. 



Speakers
avatar for Jen Townsend

Jen Townsend

Owner, Universal Access Consulting, LLC
Jen Townsend, M.Ed. is an educational consultant with expertise in social emotional learning differences, including autism spectrum disorders. She is also the owner of Universal Access Consulting, LLC, a company that specializes in professional development and collaborative consultation... Read More →
avatar for Emily Rubin

Emily Rubin

Director, Communication Crossroads, Inc.
Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP is the Director of Communication Crossroads, Inc., a private practice specializing in the provision of professional development workshops.  She has served as a member of an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Ad Hoc Committee on Autism Spectrum... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 108

1:00pm CDT

From Stress to Success: ACEs and Resilience in Iowa Schools
Families who have experienced trauma at home and within communities can carry symptoms into school, but with the right supports, students experiencing toxic levels of stress can still succeed and thrive. This presentation will share recent Iowa data on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how trauma impacts health and well-being, as well as the latest strategies for responding to ACEs and toxic stress in school systems. 
In this session you will: 
  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of ACEs and toxic stress
  • Develop a working understanding of how toxic stress impacts brain development and how developmental challenges impact families with kids in school
  • Learn about the importance of resilience and examples of strategies that develop resilience in school settings to improve student outcomes and family engagement.
  • Identify opportunities for changes that lead to a trauma-informed education system. 

Speakers
avatar for Lisa Cushatt

Lisa Cushatt

Executive Director, Iowa ACEs 360
Lisa Cushatt, LMSW, is the Executive Director for Iowa ACEs 360, which seeks to improve the health and well-being of all by empowering communities, organizations, and people to take informed actions to prevent and mitigate the lifelong effects of childhood adversity. Lisa is responsible... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 107

1:00pm CDT

We Must Be Allies: Creating Inclusive Spaces (Part 1)
Description: When we create spaces that are inclusive of all genders, sexualities, and identities, everyone thrives. When we don’t, we all suffer. This presentation discusses the urgent need of teachers and school leaders to become allies. Drawing on systems theory, the presenter will discuss how to create thriving systems – and how queer inclusivity is at the heart of this process. Using stories, videos, and experiential activities (COVID permitting), participants will understand why all students need LGBTQ allies in the classroom – even those who aren’t queer identified – and how they can make this happen.

Speakers
avatar for Jacob Priest

Jacob Priest

Associate Professor, University of Iowa
Jacob is an Associate Professor and the Director of Couple and Family Therapy program at the University of Iowa.  He also holds a secondary appointment in the departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Jacob received a B.S... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 402

1:00pm CDT

Wrap-Around and Full-Service Community Schools
Learn how building and sustaining authentic  community partnerships reduces barriers to student success and mental wellness.

Speakers
avatar for Donna Kitrick

Donna Kitrick

Project AWARE, Waterloo Community Schools
Donna A. Kitrick, MSW, LISW is a Mental Health Coordinator for Waterloo Community Schools, previously she held the position as the Now Is the Time (Project AWARE) grant coordinator for the district. She received her Master’s in Social Work from San Diego State University and earned... Read More →
avatar for Alyssa Fruchtenicht

Alyssa Fruchtenicht

Licensed Independent Social Worker, Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health Center
Alyssa Fruchtenicht is a Licensed Independent Social Worker at Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health Center. After graduating from Buena Vista University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Alyssa went on to obtain a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Northern Iowa... Read More →
avatar for Bradley McCalla

Bradley McCalla

Director, SuccessLink
Brad has been the Director of SuccessLink since June, 1995. He graduated from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN with a degree in Psychology and Sociology. He also holds an MS and Ed. S in Higher Education Administration from Drake University. He lives in Waverly, Iowa with his wife... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 106

1:00pm CDT

Strategic Planning Session for the Iowa Center for School Mental Health
Provide your perspective on school-based mental health needs in Iowa in this interactive and engaging session. Participants will consider gaps in our system and provide input to be used as part of the Center’s strategic planning efforts.  

Speakers

Tuesday November 2, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 401

2:30pm CDT

Equitable Instruction: Assessing Student Needs, Focus of Lesson and Accelerating Learning (Part 2)
Workshop focused on the daily lesson analysis process to develop clear and focused lessons with supports and scaffolds to accelerate learning through equitable, grade-level goals of a lesson.
Session Resources:

Speakers
WR

Wendy Robinson

Director of Instructional Services, Heartland AEA
avatar for Kathy Bertsch

Kathy Bertsch

Administrative Consultant MTSS, Iowa Department of Education
Kathy Bertsch is the Administrative Consultant for MTSS with the Iowa Department of Education. She supports statewide MTSS implementation through differentiated accountability and statewide school improvement including work focused on accelerating learning, evidence-based interventions... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Room 314-315

2:30pm CDT

Equitable Instruction: Assessing Student Needs, Focus of Lesson and Accelerating Learning (Part 2)
Workshop focused on the daily lesson analysis process to develop clear and focused lessons with supports and scaffolds to accelerate learning through equitable, grade-level goals of a lesson.

Speakers
KS

Kathy Scebold

Professional Learning and Leadership Consultant, Heartland AEA 11
avatar for Tina Wahlert

Tina Wahlert

Administrative Consultant, Iowa Department of Education



Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Room 312-313

2:30pm CDT

Embracing the Role of Student Voice in Mental Health Advocacy and Suicide Prevention
Student mental health is more important now than it has ever been before. Educators and students need to work together to improve school climate, especially in the area of school mental health. This session will help educators learn how to connect to their students in meaningful ways through trauma informed practices. Students from Iowa will share their thoughts on how to create an environment where students feel safe and empowered to break mental health stigma, develop strong relationships with educators and peers, and seize leadership opportunities around mental health.

Speakers
avatar for Jessica Christensen

Jessica Christensen

Director of Community Development and Training, Please Pass the Love
Jessica graduated from Iowa State University with her bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education. She went on to attain her master’s degree in Education from Graceland University. Jessica taught middle school reading and writing for 12 years before transitioning to her role... Read More →
SS

Sydney, (She/Her)

Student Presenter
MT

Margo (They/Them)

Student Presenter
ES

Estrella (She/Her)

Student Presenter


Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Room 316

2:30pm CDT

Empowering Youth Voice: Participatory Evaluation Model Across a Public School System
Youth Participatory Evaluation (YPE) allows our students to become evaluators. Born out of the Distrsict's agreement with the Office of Civil Rights, YPE students in each high school choose a research question that is important to them and relates to their education, school climate, and/or student engagement. The team then tries to answer their question by collecting voices at their school, amplifying what they hear, and taking action. Youth recommendations contribute to school, district, and community discussions and decisions. We believe youth have expertise that needs to be heard. This session will be co-led by MPS student. We will provde an overiw of our model as well as ideas on how to adapt for your local context.

Speakers
avatar for Eric Moore

Eric Moore

Minneapolis Public Schools, Chief of Accountability, Innovation and Research
MH

Maren Henderson

Evaluation Specialist, Minneapolis Public Schools


Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Room 321

2:30pm CDT

Families and Schools: Working Together to Ensure Student Success
The participants will learn about the impact made when families and schools work together to create a collaborative community with common goals for the learner. Additionally, the participants will hear from individuals who have first-hand experience navigating their way through situations for their child and the impact it had on them. Regardless of the participant's role, this session will encourage deeper thinking about how everyone can impact student learning through the use of regular and open communication.  

Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Cira

Jennifer Cira

Family Coordinator, Grant Wood Area Education Agency
Jennifer Cira brings us knowledge from nearly 15 years of experience as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. During that time she was able to work in both educational and clinical settings. Her drive to work with families began with her role as a Forensic Interviewer. This role provided... Read More →
avatar for Sara Mohr

Sara Mohr

Grant Wood Area Education Agency
Sara Mohr began her journey as an educator as a classroom teacher, where she spent nearly a decade.  From there, she decided she wanted to stretch herself and impact other educators. She was able to do that by being an Induction Coach and Lead Induction Coach with the Grant Wood... Read More →
HD

Heather Dirks

Parent
My name is Heather Dirks. I have been married to my husband, Robert for 13 years and we have am 4 children together. Lani, 12, Cambria, 10, Brecken, 8, and Emberlynn, 5. Lani was born DeafBlind with multiple disabilities. I also work as the Family Engagement Coordinator for the Iowa... Read More →
BH

Brenda Hummel-Foreman

Parent
My name is Brenda Hummel-Foreman. I live in Polk City with my husband, Dan Foreman, my 17 yr old son, Sal, my 13 yr old daughter, Andrea and my 5 yr old son, Zach. I have been employed by Valiant Wealth for 10 years as director of financial advisor client relations. I can usually... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Room 318

2:30pm CDT

Aligning Trauma-Informed Care and Behavioral Approaches to Support Students with Challenging Behavior
Learn how an Iowa School Team used a behavioral and trauma-informed approach to support a student with challenging behaviors.

Speakers
BM

Brandi Moon

Special Education Coordinator, Behavior Specialist, Iowa City Community School District
LJ

Lisa-Ann Johnson

Lead Support Teacher- Behavior Strategist, Iowa City Community Schools
Special Education Lead Support Teacher and Behavior Strategist for Iowa City Schools.
avatar for Jake Vitense

Jake Vitense

Special Education Lead Support Teacher - Behavior Specialist, Iowa City Schools



Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 102-103

2:30pm CDT

An Introduction to Iowa's Social-Emotional Learning Framework
Have you heard Iowa has Social-Emotional Competencies but don't know what that means? This session will introduce you to what Social-Emotional Learning is, describe the Iowa SEL framework, and help you learn how to effectively use the Iowa Social-Emotional Learning Competency Guide.

Speakers
avatar for Kay Augustine

Kay Augustine

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
Kay Augustine is an Education Program Consultant for the Department of Education (DE). As the former Project Director of the School Climate Transformation Grant she coordinated the development of Iowa's SEL Competency documents. She serves as the state liaison with the Collaboration... Read More →
avatar for Wendy Trotter

Wendy Trotter

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
MR

Marianne Rodriques

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education



Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Room 319-320

2:30pm CDT

Finding the "Fuel" for Learning and Emotional Well-Being – “How” We Can Enhance Learner Engagement while Supporting Educators’ Well-Being (Part 3)
In this session, participants will explore the “how” of engagement, as engaging in teacher to teacher mentorship is a key strategy for building capacity within a given setting.  Using the freely accessible tools of SEE-KS, we can structure peer mentoring using an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) model to facilitate reflection on “what is working” in the context of classroom lessons, so that groups of teachers collectively develop action plans (“what can be”).  This mentorship is focused on enhancing classroom practice focused on increasing active engagement using practices consistent with a Universal Design for Learning Framework. Participants will learn a structured process for mentoring one’s peers by appreciating what appears to be effective at enhancing learning engagement and identify opportunities for next steps.  Our focus is on enhancing educator self-efficacy and well-being while addressing learner engagement.

Participants will:

  1. Identify an appreciative-inquiry based mentorship framework for noticing the strategies that appear to be effective at enhancing engagement, and
  2. Identify strategies for inquiring with mentee to identify opportunities for enhancing engagement. 



Speakers
avatar for Jen Townsend

Jen Townsend

Owner, Universal Access Consulting, LLC
Jen Townsend, M.Ed. is an educational consultant with expertise in social emotional learning differences, including autism spectrum disorders. She is also the owner of Universal Access Consulting, LLC, a company that specializes in professional development and collaborative consultation... Read More →
avatar for Emily Rubin

Emily Rubin

Director, Communication Crossroads, Inc.
Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP is the Director of Communication Crossroads, Inc., a private practice specializing in the provision of professional development workshops.  She has served as a member of an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Ad Hoc Committee on Autism Spectrum... Read More →



Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 108

2:30pm CDT

Fostering Peer Relationships
This presentation will unravel the complexity of students' relationships with their peers and discuss the significance of these relationships to students' social, psychological, and school functioning.

Speakers
avatar for Amy Bellmore

Amy Bellmore

Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Amy Bellmore is a Professor of Human Development in the Department of Educational Psychology. She received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Connecticut. Following her graduate studies, she completed Postdoctoral Training in the Department of Education at... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 101

2:30pm CDT

Maximizing the Effectiveness of Equitable Tier 2 Classroom Interventions
The presenter will review key principles for maximizing the effectiveness of Tier 2 classroom interventions in elementary school classrooms, including the screening to determine the need for a Tier 2 intervention, defining intervention targets, progress monitoring, and data-driven decision making. The presenter will describe how to apply these principles across a variety of classroom interventions and will share a technology-based resource for applying these principles in your classroom or school.

Speakers
avatar for Julie Owens

Julie Owens

Co-Director of the Center for Intervention Research in Schools, Ohio University
Dr. Julie Owens is a Professor in the Psychology Department and Co-Director of the Center for Intervention Research in Schools. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University and has been a faculty member at OHIO since 2001. Her program of research focuses on improving... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 107

2:30pm CDT

The Role of Clinical Psychiatric and Psychological Consultation to Bridge the Gap for Students with Persistent Mental Health Concerns
The Role of Clinical Psychiatric and Psychological Services to Bridge the Gap for Students with Persistent Mental Health Concerns. Session will also include considerations and strategies for accessing psychiatric and psychological services in rural communities or communities with limited mental health resources.

Speakers
avatar for Dr. Jamie Elizalde

Dr. Jamie Elizalde

Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Jamie Elizalde, PhD is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Dr. Elizalde completed her PhD in School Psychology at Illinois State University, and her pre- and postdoctoral... Read More →
JB

James Burkhalter

Behavioral Health Clinical Manager, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics


Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 105

2:30pm CDT

We Must Be Allies: Creating Inclusive Spaces (Part 2)
Description: When we create spaces that are inclusive of all genders, sexualities, and identities, everyone thrives. When we don’t, we all suffer. This presentation discusses the urgent need of teachers and school leaders to become allies. Drawing on systems theory, the presenter will discuss how to create thriving systems – and how queer inclusivity is at the heart of this process. Using stories, videos, and experiential activities (COVID permitting), participants will understand why all students need LGBTQ allies in the classroom – even those who aren’t queer identified – and how they can make this happen.

Speakers
avatar for Jacob Priest

Jacob Priest

Associate Professor, University of Iowa
Jacob is an Associate Professor and the Director of Couple and Family Therapy program at the University of Iowa.  He also holds a secondary appointment in the departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Jacob received a B.S... Read More →


Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Room 402

2:30pm CDT

Youth Suicide: Data, Emerging Trends, Best Practices
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-34 in the United States, and the 3rd leading cause of death for youth 10-14 in Iowa.  Despite improvements in suicide safe care, and a plural of evidence that suicide is preventable, rates continue to climb in Iowa and nationally.  Drew Martel (LISW, CADC), The Director of Crisis Services at Foundation 2, and an American Association on Suicidology Site Examiner, will present on emerging data and trends around suicide prevention, including an overview of what constitutes suicide safer care, and what implementation might look like within a school district.

Speakers
DM

Drew Martel

Foundation 2


Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 106

2:30pm CDT

Strategic Planning Session for the Iowa Center for School Mental Health
Provide your perspective on school-based mental health needs in Iowa in this interactive and engaging session. Participants will consider gaps in our system and provide input to be used as part of the Center’s strategic planning efforts.  

Speakers

Tuesday November 2, 2021 2:30pm - 3:45pm CDT
Room 401
 
Wednesday, November 3
 

8:00am CDT

Check-In
Wednesday November 3, 2021 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Memorial Hall - Community Choice Convention Center

9:00am CDT

Only Connect: Systems Thinking for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health
If we have the knowledge and tools to help are students thrive, why do we sometimes miss the signs? If we are working to create safe and inclusive spaces, why do so many students struggle? Most of us have been trained to think linearly – if we do “x,” “y” happens. Yet, relationships, classrooms, and schools aren’t linear structures, they are systems – dynamic structures that respond and adapt to various changes. Unless we think systemically, we may miss the opportunities to employ our knowledge and skills to help students who struggle. This presentation is about systems – what they are, how they operate, and how we can use systems thinking to help students thrive.

Speakers
avatar for Jacob Priest

Jacob Priest

Associate Professor, University of Iowa
Jacob is an Associate Professor and the Director of Couple and Family Therapy program at the University of Iowa.  He also holds a secondary appointment in the departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Jacob received a B.S... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 9:00am - 10:10am CDT
Grand Ballroom

10:30am CDT

Effective School Leadership Teams: Sustaining Effective Practices Over Time
This session will provide school leaders, school-based leadership teams, and related implementation coaches with information and resources for creating “enabling conditions” at their school to implement and sustain high quality use of Accelerated Learning practices within a Professional Learning Collaboration (PLC) context.  

Speakers
avatar for Brian Gaunt

Brian Gaunt

Assistant Program Director, University of South Florida
Dr. Brian Gaunt is an Assistant Program Director and Technical Assistance Specialist for the Florida Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (FLPBIS) Project within the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities located at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Prior to this... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 312-315

10:30am CDT

Authentically Involving Students with Data & Strategic Change through a Service-Learning Model
Demonstrating a replicable process based on the evidence-based service-learning process, this session co-presented with students will show how students  can be authentically engaged in analyzing, problem-solving, and implementing strategies to address needs identified by Conditions for Learning side-by-side with the adults in the building and community.

Speakers
avatar for Kay Augustine

Kay Augustine

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
Kay Augustine is an Education Program Consultant for the Department of Education (DE). As the former Project Director of the School Climate Transformation Grant she coordinated the development of Iowa's SEL Competency documents. She serves as the state liaison with the Collaboration... Read More →
avatar for Soomin

Soomin

Student Presenter
Soomin Koh (she/her) is a senior at Iowa City West High School. She serves as Vice-Chair of the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council. She is also the co-chair of the Volunteer Iowa Youth Outreach subcommittee. In school, Soomin is also an editor for her school newspaper and co-founder... Read More →
avatar for Hannah, (she/her)

Hannah, (she/her)

Event Manager, Student Presenter Iowa Student Learning Institute
Hannah has served as the Event Manager for IowaSLI since December of 2018. She is a Sophmore at Norwalk High School and currently serves as the Sophmore Class President of the Norwalk Student Council. As the Event Manager, Hannah helps coordinate all of IowaSLI’s regional and statewide... Read More →
JD

Jana Daisy

Youth Service Learning AmeriCorps VISTA, Volunteer Iowa
Volunteer Iowa (The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service) is part of a network of state service commissions throughout the United States that exist to foster a bi-partisan state-level commitment to advancing service initiatives as well as developing, communicating, and promoting a statewide vision and ethic of service. This state agency is responsible for coordinating programs and activit... Read More →
K

Klaertje

Student Presenter



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 318

10:30am CDT

Civic and Inquiry Learning Gains through Student Voice Efforts in the Elementary Years
The session shows ways that student voice can lead to improved academic and socio-emotional outcomes of young people when engaged in classroom and schools that value student voice as a part of the curriculum and decision making processes.  

Speakers
avatar for Dana Mitra

Dana Mitra

Professor, Penn State University
Dana L. Mitra is Professor of Education Policy Studies at the Pennsylvania State University. She is founding editor of the International Journal of Student Voice and Co-Editor of The American Journal of Education. Dana also works as a leadership coach, as well as offering workshops... Read More →


Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 311

10:30am CDT

Families and Schools: Working Together to Ensure Student Success
The participants will learn about the impact made when families and schools work together to create a collaborative community with common goals for the learner. Additionally, the participants will hear from individuals who have first-hand experience navigating their way through situations for their child and the impact it had on them. Regardless of the participant's role, this session will encourage deeper thinking about how everyone can impact student learning through the use of regular and open communication.  

Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Cira

Jennifer Cira

Family Coordinator, Grant Wood Area Education Agency
Jennifer Cira brings us knowledge from nearly 15 years of experience as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. During that time she was able to work in both educational and clinical settings. Her drive to work with families began with her role as a Forensic Interviewer. This role provided... Read More →
avatar for Sara Mohr

Sara Mohr

Grant Wood Area Education Agency
Sara Mohr began her journey as an educator as a classroom teacher, where she spent nearly a decade.  From there, she decided she wanted to stretch herself and impact other educators. She was able to do that by being an Induction Coach and Lead Induction Coach with the Grant Wood... Read More →
HD

Heather Dirks

Parent
My name is Heather Dirks. I have been married to my husband, Robert for 13 years and we have am 4 children together. Lani, 12, Cambria, 10, Brecken, 8, and Emberlynn, 5. Lani was born DeafBlind with multiple disabilities. I also work as the Family Engagement Coordinator for the Iowa... Read More →
BH

Brenda Hummel-Foreman

Parent
My name is Brenda Hummel-Foreman. I live in Polk City with my husband, Dan Foreman, my 17 yr old son, Sal, my 13 yr old daughter, Andrea and my 5 yr old son, Zach. I have been employed by Valiant Wealth for 10 years as director of financial advisor client relations. I can usually... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 319

10:30am CDT

MVP Strategies Bystander Education and Prevention Model
This session will review the goals and aims of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) bullying and gender violence prevention model, as well the implementation structures and sustaining practices in Iowa's secondary schools. High school student mentors will share their thoughts and perspectives on the role they play as mentors and program facilitators along with the social and emotional benefits they experience as a result. 

Speakers
avatar for Alan Heisterkamp

Alan Heisterkamp

Director, University of Northern Iowa Center for Violence Prevention
Alan Heisterkamp, Ed.D., serves as the director of the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He facilitates trainings and seminars for school districts, colleges and universities, and community agencies serving youth and families that... Read More →
avatar for Michael Fleming

Michael Fleming

Director of Research and Evaluation, University of Northern Iowa Center for Violence Prevention
Dr. Fleming is an associate professor of family studies at the University of Northern Iowa. His scholarship and teaching focuses on the dynamics associated with interpersonal violence; models of prevention and early intervention in secondary and higher education schools; and education... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 317

10:30am CDT

Broaching the Subject of Homelessness with Students
Experiencing homelessness can be life-altering for any individual, but for children and young adults the consequences are particularly noteworthy. Children and young adults living in homeless situations often experience increased aggression, lower self-esteem, and increased rates of poor behavior when compared to their non-homeless peers (Samuels, Shinn, & Buckner, 2010). Further, important developmental experiences, such as socialization, are compromised due to the often isolating experience of homelessness. The purpose of this presentation, therefore, is to explore homelessness and to offer participants (both school professionals and invested community members) strategies for broaching the topic of homelessness with students.

Speakers
avatar for Erin Barnes

Erin Barnes

Clinical Assistant Professor, Rehabilitation and Counselor Education, University of Iowa
Dr. Erin Barnes joined the Rehabilitation and Counselor Education department (now the Department of Counselor Education) as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the fall of 2018. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Iowa (UI). She is credentialed... Read More →


Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 105

10:30am CDT

Center Equity Through Relationship-Centered Learning Environments
This session will provide opportunities for participants to learn how to increase relationship-centered practices within their classroom to center and cultivate equity. This session will also examine how relationships within the learning environment are a critical ingredient to respond to inequities within the classroom.

Speakers
avatar for Soumya Palreddy, PhD

Soumya Palreddy, PhD

Consultant, Palreddy-Lowe Learning Lab
Soumya (pronunciation: SOH-myuh, she/her) is an anti-bias antiracism educator in progress, licensed psychologist, and trainer. Bringing warmth and energy, she provides training and promotes transformative change in the areas of health care inequities, centering anti-racism, leadership... Read More →
avatar for Ian Lowe

Ian Lowe

Education Consultant, Palreddy-Lowe Learning Lab
Ian (pronunciation: EE - uh n, he/him) is a Wisconsin-based educator with 15 years of classroom teaching experience. As a teacher and student advisor, Ian mentors students and staff on how to center justice and equity through course and project design. These projects are grounded... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 108

10:30am CDT

Cyber Bullying Prevention and Intervention
Speakers
avatar for Chad Rose

Chad Rose

Director of the Mizzou Ed Bully Prevention Lab, University of Missouri
Chad A. Rose, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Missouri, and the Director of the Mizzou Ed Bully Prevention Lab. He earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign... Read More →


Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 106

10:30am CDT

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Training for School Staff and Students (Part 1)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment approach that was originally designed for adults and has been adapted into a manualized treatment program for adolescents. The DBT Skills training provides a group-based approach to instructing teenagers in the use of mindfulness and development of coping skills for tolerating emotionally distressing situations, learning emotion regulation, and improving interpersonal effectiveness (1,2) . Over the past five years, an ongoing collaboration between the UIHC Department of Psychiatry and the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) has resulted in the implementation of a school-based Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)-informed model of care. The model involves UIHC staff trained in DBT providing direct training, consultation, and support to general and special education teachers and school social workers on how to teach the DBT Skills to teens in the classroom. In the 2021-22 academic year, the program is training its 4th cohort of school staff in the model. The implementation model involves consideration of support at all levels of the MTSS, and aims to build a sustainable district-wide program which provides a common language for understanding and addressing emotions and interpersonal relationships among school staff and students.

Speakers
BM

Brandi Moon

Special Education Coordinator, Behavior Specialist, Iowa City Community School District
CF

Coreen Frank

Iowa City Schools
avatar for Dr. Jamie Elizalde

Dr. Jamie Elizalde

Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Jamie Elizalde, PhD is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Dr. Elizalde completed her PhD in School Psychology at Illinois State University, and her pre- and postdoctoral... Read More →
JB

James Burkhalter

Behavioral Health Clinical Manager, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 107

10:30am CDT

Progress Monitoring of Tier 2 and 3 Social-Emotional and Behavioral Interventions
For students who are receiving a Tier 2 or Tier 3 intervention, it is imperative to monitor their response to intervention using reliable and valid tools. Once a student is identified for intervention, it is necessary to engage in progress monitoring to evaluate their response to that intervention. This session will review various considerations within progress monitoring, including (a) data collection design, (b) assessment procedures, (c) selection of appropriate progress monitoring tools, and (d) reviewing data to inform intervention-related decisions. Attendees will practice completing progress monitoring tools and designing a progress monitoring plan for one of their students.

Speakers
avatar for Steve Kilgus

Steve Kilgus

Associate Professor of School Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. Kilgus’ research is in the area of school mental health. His primary research line relates to social-emotional and behavioral assessment. His work has resulted in the development of evidence-based assessment procedures, as well as the validation of tools for universal screening... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 102-103

10:30am CDT

Strength Based approaches to address the unique needs of high ability youth with mental health concerns
This session will discuss the unique educational needs of high ability youth with mental health concerns. We will discuss effective, research based interventions for this population of learners, focusing on strength-based approaches. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions about specific presentations they may observe in their classrooms and buildings.​​​​

Speakers
avatar for Megan Foley-Nicpon

Megan Foley-Nicpon

Professor, University of Iowa
Megan Foley-Nicpon is a professor in Counseling Psychology and Department Executive Officer for Psychological and Quantitative Foundations at the University of Iowa. She also serves as the Associate Director for Research and Clinic at the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and... Read More →


Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 316

10:30am CDT

Suicide Prevention and Supporting Military Connected Students
THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT!  Do you know your role in supporting military-connected children/youth? Join us as we discuss the social and emotional needs of military-connected children/youth and the unique circumstances that can impact their academic achievement. This session will enhance your understanding of military culture, and the challenges associated with military service that may affect military-connected children. You will hear personal stories, and have an opportunity to learn about available evidence-based  tools and resources from our special guest from the Department of Defense Education Activity Headquarters.

Speakers
avatar for Dr. Stephanie Latham

Dr. Stephanie Latham

Dr. Stephanie Latham holds an an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Iowa College of Nursing where she teaches Community and Public Health Nursing with a focus on the veteran population. She received her doctorate in Advanced Public Health Nursing from Rush University... Read More →
avatar for Kristy Pitts

Kristy Pitts

Education Program Specialist, Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)
Kristy Pitts is a North Carolina native and is currently an Education Program Specialist with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).  She has over 20 years in education, serving as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, school administrator, district specialist for... Read More →
avatar for Dr. Schanna Smalls

Dr. Schanna Smalls

Department of Defense Education Activity
Dr. Schanna Smalls is currently an Education Program Specialist with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). Her prior role with DoDEA was as a Headquarters Counseling Instructional Systems Specialist where she created, implemented, and managed the programming for DoDEA’s... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 321

10:30am CDT

The Resilience Education Program (REP): A Tier 2 Intervention for Internalizing Problems
The Resilience Education Program (REP) is a brief Tier 2 intervention designed to support students with early signs of internalizing behavioral concerns. Participants will gain access to intervention materials and learn how to implement REP lessons, including, parent skills instruction and reinforcement of these skills in school and at home. Participants will receive guidance on making cultural adaptations to REP lessons and procedures to increase their relevance to historically marginalized students.

Speakers
avatar for Katie Eklund

Katie Eklund

Associate Professor and Co-Director of the School Psychology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. Katie Eklund is an Associate Professor and Co-Director of the School Psychology Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Eklund worked in public education for 10 years as a school administrator, school psychologist, and school social worker... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 104

10:30am CDT

Trauma-Informed School Practices to Support Resilience During Times of Collective Stress and Trauma
In the face and aftermath of a global pandemic and countless other individual and collective adversities, many students in todays’ schools bring life experiences of trauma or toxic stress into the classroom. In this presentation, we share a clear neurobiological storyline about the essential ingredients for healthy development and the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the developing brain and how this can impact learning, behavior and school success. We focus our time together on sharing a practical framework of trauma-informed school practices designed to integrate positive behavior interventions and supports and social emotional learning so we may use these times as an opportunity to leverage resilience and growth for all.

Speakers
avatar for Mary Crnobori

Mary Crnobori

District Coordinator of Trauma-Informed Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Dr. Mary Crnobori is the District Coordinator of Trauma-Informed Schools for Metro Nashville Public Schools. She leads a team of 7 district Trauma-Informed Specialists and oversees 72 fully staffed elementary school Advocacy Centers, or designated regulation spaces designed to support... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 101

10:30am CDT

Why the Pyramid Model Practices Matter More Than Ever: Supporting Young Children through the Pandemic and Other Challenging Times (Part 1)
This two-part session will focus on supporting the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of young children and their families. The following topics will be discussed: a)  an overview of the impact of the Pandemic on young children and families; b) pivotal practices for supporting children through these challenging times; and c) the Pyramid Model for Supporting Young Children’s Social Emotional Competence. In addition, the session will address strategies for supporting teachers and classroom staff to implement these practices.

Speakers
avatar for Adrienne Golden

Adrienne Golden

Adrienne K. Golden, Ph.D., BCBA, is a Research Associate at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.  She currently manages data collection and supports coaching and teacher training for a large multi-year research study partnered with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools... Read More →
avatar for Kiersten Kinder

Kiersten Kinder

Kiersten Kinder, Ph.D., is a Research Associate at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.  She currently coordinates a large multi-year research study partnered with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools to support implementation and sustainability of the Pyramid Model in... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 10:30am - 11:45am CDT
Room 320

11:45am CDT

Lunch
Boxed lunch is provided. 

Wednesday November 3, 2021 11:45am - 1:00pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall C

1:00pm CDT

Accelerating Learning: Evidence-Based Scaffolding for Equitable Instruction
Learn about evidence-based scaffolding to accelerate student learning by ensuring meaningful access to grade level instruction.

Speakers
KS

Kathy Scebold

Professional Learning and Leadership Consultant, Heartland AEA 11
WR

Wendy Robinson

Director of Instructional Services, Heartland AEA



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 314

1:00pm CDT

Accelerating Literacy: Teacher Tools & Scaffolds
Learn about the practices teachers and students engage in to accelerate literacy learning. Attendees can access a copy of the Google Slides.

Speakers
avatar for Jaci Jarmes

Jaci Jarmes

Professional Learning Consultant, Great Prairie Area Education Agency
of state and local campaigns.
avatar for Leigh Bellville

Leigh Bellville

Literacy Consultant, Iowa Department of Education


Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 312

1:00pm CDT

Accelerating Math: Teacher Tools & Scaffolds
Speakers
avatar for Janet Greene

Janet Greene

Curriculum Consultant, Grant Wood Area Education Agency
avatar for April Pforts

April Pforts

State Supervisor Of Mathematics, Iowa Department Of Education
April Pforts came to the Department as the math consultant from Mount Pleasant Community School District, where she was an instructional coach and a teacher. While working in Mount Pleasant, April was a member of the State Network of Education, a team which contributed resources for... Read More →
avatar for Christi Donald

Christi Donald

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 313

1:00pm CDT

Authentically Involving Students with Data & Strategic Change through a Service-Learning Model
Demonstrating a replicable process based on the evidence-based service-learning process, this session co-presented with students will show how students  can be authentically engaged in analyzing, problem-solving, and implementing strategies to address needs identified by Conditions for Learning side-by-side with the adults in the building and community.

Speakers
avatar for Kay Augustine

Kay Augustine

Education Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
Kay Augustine is an Education Program Consultant for the Department of Education (DE). As the former Project Director of the School Climate Transformation Grant she coordinated the development of Iowa's SEL Competency documents. She serves as the state liaison with the Collaboration... Read More →
avatar for Soomin

Soomin

Student Presenter
Soomin Koh (she/her) is a senior at Iowa City West High School. She serves as Vice-Chair of the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council. She is also the co-chair of the Volunteer Iowa Youth Outreach subcommittee. In school, Soomin is also an editor for her school newspaper and co-founder... Read More →
avatar for Hannah, (she/her)

Hannah, (she/her)

Event Manager, Student Presenter Iowa Student Learning Institute
Hannah has served as the Event Manager for IowaSLI since December of 2018. She is a Sophmore at Norwalk High School and currently serves as the Sophmore Class President of the Norwalk Student Council. As the Event Manager, Hannah helps coordinate all of IowaSLI’s regional and statewide... Read More →
JD

Jana Daisy

Youth Service Learning AmeriCorps VISTA, Volunteer Iowa
Volunteer Iowa (The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service) is part of a network of state service commissions throughout the United States that exist to foster a bi-partisan state-level commitment to advancing service initiatives as well as developing, communicating, and promoting a statewide vision and ethic of service. This state agency is responsible for coordinating programs and activit... Read More →
K

Klaertje

Student Presenter


Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 318

1:00pm CDT

Do "with" Me, Not "for" Me: Collaborative Partnerships with Parents/Families
Building collaborative and positive relationships by and between school and home. Presenters will share strategies with teachers and administrators to consider parent/family engagement & involvement from the lens of their family's lived experiences.

Speakers
avatar for Amy Liddell

Amy Liddell

Family & Educator Partnership Coordinator, Green Hills AEA
Amy Liddell has been the Family & Educator Partnership Coordinator with Green Hills AEA for 15 years. She facilitates partnerships and supports family engagement outcomes between the AEA, schools, community partners and families of students served in special education to improve student... Read More →
avatar for Brenda Renter

Brenda Renter

SBI, Green Hills Area Education Agency
I currently work for Green Hills AEA as a School Based Interventionist. The majority of my career has been working with At Risk Youth and Families as a Caseworker, BHIS provider and Class Room Teacher. I am married and have two grown children, one daughter in law, and two rescue dogs... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 315-316

1:00pm CDT

Nurturing Student Advocacy and Agency Focused on Mental Health through Authentic and Equitable Student/Adult Partnerships
Create authentic and equitable partnerships by and between adults and students to address health needs in your school or community. Presenters, including a 4-H Healthy Living Teen Ambassador, will provide practical strategies based on evidence-based practices for addressing social, emotional and physical health that impact overall well-being. Attendees will assess their own wellness competencies and utilize their awareness for healthy habits to set goals for their personal growth. This awareness will help create authentic connections with your youth partners and help support their efforts as they identify and advocate for SEBH improvements in their school or community. As a strong community partner in Iowa, learn about the numerous opportunities available to schools and youth through Iowa University Extension and Outreach and the 4-H Youth Development program.

Speakers
avatar for Laura Liechty

Laura Liechty

4-H Healthy Living Specialist, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Hi, I'm a Registered Dietitian and work with the Iowa 4-H Youth Development program to integrate programming for K-12 audiences to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle. We offer programs around social, emotional, physical, and financial well-being in a variety of delivery modes... Read More →
CS

Claire (she/her)

Student Presenter
RS

Rachel Sweeney

Iowa State University Extension


Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 315

1:00pm CDT

Partnerships in Action: Working with Community Agencies to Better Support Students
A Student and Family Advocate from Iowa City School District and the Director of Intervention Services at United Action for Youth discuss how the Iowa City Community School District has partnered with various agencies in the Iowa City area to better serve students with mental health challenges. Best practices and cultivating partnerships will be highlighted.

Speakers
AK

Amy Kahle

United Action for Youth
TT

Thomas Trefz

Iowa City Schools
BB

Becca Bender

Iowa City Schools


Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 319

1:00pm CDT

Schools Preventing Bullying and Harassment and the Role of Student Voice
Students are one of our best, yet oftentimes least utilized resources when it comes to creating and cultivating a school climate in which all students can feel safe and respected. Hear from high school student mentors as they share and reflect on their own personal experiences of being a valuable school leader and partner in promoting positive and healthy relationships within and among their peer groups.

Speakers
avatar for Alan Heisterkamp

Alan Heisterkamp

Director, University of Northern Iowa Center for Violence Prevention
Alan Heisterkamp, Ed.D., serves as the director of the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He facilitates trainings and seminars for school districts, colleges and universities, and community agencies serving youth and families that... Read More →
avatar for Michael Fleming

Michael Fleming

Director of Research and Evaluation, University of Northern Iowa Center for Violence Prevention
Dr. Fleming is an associate professor of family studies at the University of Northern Iowa. His scholarship and teaching focuses on the dynamics associated with interpersonal violence; models of prevention and early intervention in secondary and higher education schools; and education... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 317

1:00pm CDT

Addressing Vaping and Substance Use with Adolescents
Speakers
avatar for Shannon Lea Watkins

Shannon Lea Watkins

Assistant Professor, Community and Behavioral Health, University of Iowa
Dr. Watkins is a scholar of public health whose work aims to illuminate social and structural barriers that individuals face in achieving their full health potential in order to inform efforts that promote health equity. Her current work investigates patterns of tobacco initiation... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 104

1:00pm CDT

Bullying Prevention and Intervention
Speakers
avatar for Chad Rose

Chad Rose

Director of the Mizzou Ed Bully Prevention Lab, University of Missouri
Chad A. Rose, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Missouri, and the Director of the Mizzou Ed Bully Prevention Lab. He earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign... Read More →


Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 106

1:00pm CDT

Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Culture through Restorative Practices
Learn how Restorative Practices aligns with PBIS/MTSS: restorative school climate; discipline, re-entry and restorative healing. Restorative practices are interwoven into every interaction in the building; and allow the act (unacceptable behavior) to be rejected because they failed to meet expectations or standards while acknowledging the intrinsic worth of the person and their potential contribution to society. Objectives: Describe the rationale behind restorative practices and how they differ from traditional practices (Why) Understand and demonstrate a continuum of restorative practices (What) Understand how RP fits within a healthy MTSS and aligns with other culture and climate work (How)

Speakers
avatar for Justin Blietz

Justin Blietz

Director of Culture and Climate, Cedar Rapids Community Schools



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 101

1:00pm CDT

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Training for School Staff and Students (Part 2)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment approach that was originally designed for adults and has been adapted into a manualized treatment program for adolescents. The DBT Skills training provides a group-based approach to instructing teenagers in the use of mindfulness and development of coping skills for tolerating emotionally distressing situations, learning emotion regulation, and improving interpersonal effectiveness (1,2) . Over the past five years, an ongoing collaboration between the UIHC Department of Psychiatry and the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) has resulted in the implementation of a school-based Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)-informed model of care. The model involves UIHC staff trained in DBT providing direct training, consultation, and support to general and special education teachers and school social workers on how to teach the DBT Skills to teens in the classroom. In the 2021-22 academic year, the program is training its 4th cohort of school staff in the model. The implementation model involves consideration of support at all levels of the MTSS, and aims to build a sustainable district-wide program which provides a common language for understanding and addressing emotions and interpersonal relationships among school staff and students.

Speakers
BM

Brandi Moon

Special Education Coordinator, Behavior Specialist, Iowa City Community School District
CF

Coreen Frank

Iowa City Schools
avatar for Dr. Jamie Elizalde

Dr. Jamie Elizalde

Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Jamie Elizalde, PhD is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Dr. Elizalde completed her PhD in School Psychology at Illinois State University, and her pre- and postdoctoral... Read More →
JB

James Burkhalter

Behavioral Health Clinical Manager, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 107

1:00pm CDT

Exploring Emotions with Sesame Street in Communities Resources
With so much happening in the world around us, children—and adults, too—have many kinds of feelings that are sometimes hard to explain. When we help kids name and talk about their feelings and provide tools to process ways of managing those feelings, children gain social-emotional skills to handle stress, have empathy for others, and form positive relationships. These skills become the building blocks for mental well-being and success in school. 

With the help of our friends on Sesame Street, Sarah Welch with the Iowa Alliance for Healthy Kids and Iowa ACEs 360 is excited to share with you a free resource that can playfully remind kids of ways to see and name feelings for the good, the bad, and the ugly! In this session, you’ll have the chance to: 
  • Explore free Sesame Street in Communities printable and digital resources that providers, families, and children can use.
  • Reflect on the wide range of feelings we have and what helps us manage our emotions.
  • Create a plan for how you can use resources on the Exploring Emotions topic page to support the children and families in your care.
 
This training is offered in partnership with the Iowa Alliance for Healthy Kids, a group that is working to improve the social and emotional well-being of young children in Iowa. The Alliance has teamed up with Sesame Street in Communities to give parents, caregivers, providers, and leaders m
essages and tools to promote nurturing relationships within families and to build social-emotional skills with kids. Get connected to this initiative at www.iowaallianceforhealthykids.org.

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Welch

Sarah Welch

Communications and Network Engagement Contractor, Iowa ACEs 360
Sarah Welch focuses on using communications strategies to create system and social change. With 15+ years of experience in areas including nonprofit communications, journalism, and higher education, she brings knowledge of how to lead diverse stakeholders toward shared goals and strategies... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 321

1:00pm CDT

Intensifying Interventions for Academics and Behavior
Data-based individualization (DBI) has demonstrated success when implemented by educators with students with severe and persistent academic and/or behavioral needs and is a systematic, validated method for using assessment data to determine when and how to intensify intervention. Unfortunately schools often note that they struggle to intensify supports and as a result may benefit from a structure to help them organize their planning. This session will focus on how, within DBI, educators can an adaptive framework taxonomy to systematically intensify supports both quantitatively and qualitatively across academic and behavioral domains. We will review dimensions of the taxonomy and use a case study to illustrate how it can be used increase the quality of intensive intervention, improve student outcomes, and help schools design intensive intervention programs that are clearly distinguishable from less intensive (Tier 2) intervention programs.

Speakers
avatar for Joseph H. Wehby

Joseph H. Wehby

Chair, Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University
Joseph Wehby, Ph.D. is Chair of Vanderbilt’s top ranked Department of Special Education, and he is an experienced special education researcher. He has been PI of numerous research grants where randomized controlled trials and single subject design studies have been used to investigate... Read More →


Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 311

1:00pm CDT

Referring and Coordinating Counseling Services for Students with Mental Health Concerns
Supporting students’ mental health in school settings may require a referral to an external agency. Previous research on referral processes, particularly those involving the experiences of school counselors, documents the challenges associated with referral processes. Findings from Lemberger et. al’s (2010) study indicated that referrals are needed for a variety of reasons, including the need for expertise outside of the professional’s competence or duties, not having enough time to effectively support the student’s needs, or due to an in-school intervention not working, among other reasons. More noteworthy, however, is that several of the study’s participants indicated that they were isolated in their referral decisions, having no support from their respective schools or districts on when or how to make referral decisions. As such, this presentation aims to demystify referral processes, drawing on important resources, such as the MTSS (Multitiered System of Support) framework, the AWARE Iowa School Mental Health framework, and the Missouri School Counselor’s Guide to the Referral Process to offer a defined sequence of steps (and resources) for referrals. Further, we will explore strategies for monitoring the effectiveness of the referral through coordination.

Speakers
avatar for Erin Barnes

Erin Barnes

Clinical Assistant Professor, Rehabilitation and Counselor Education, University of Iowa
Dr. Erin Barnes joined the Rehabilitation and Counselor Education department (now the Department of Counselor Education) as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the fall of 2018. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Iowa (UI). She is credentialed... Read More →


Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 105

1:00pm CDT

Screening for Social-Emotional and Behavioral Risk: What You Need to Know
Description: Are you worried about the number of students at your school that are at-risk for social-emotional and behavioral (SEB) problems? Has this feeling gotten worse because of the pandemic? Maybe you have heard about universal screening or you are screening students already, but you are not exactly sure if you are checking all the boxes. In this session you will learn about what you need to do before you start screening and what to do once you have screened your students for SEB Risk. Real world examples will be provided throughout the session to show how this can be implemented in a school.

Speakers
avatar for Jared  Izumi

Jared Izumi

Assistant Professor, University of Iowa
Jared Izumi, PhD is an Assistant Professor of School Psychology. Before joining the faculty at the University of Iowa, Dr. Izumi completed his predoctoral and postdoctoral work at North Kansas City School District where he worked as a school psychologist. Dr. Izumi has practiced as... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 102-103

1:00pm CDT

The Intersections of Equity, Mental Health, and Trauma-Informed Care
This session examines the foundational role of centering equity within trauma-informed care and mental health initiatives. Participants will learn about how schools can be a source of trauma, the faulty assumptions associated with how we talk about trauma, and how schools can strive to be a space of healing

Speakers
avatar for Soumya Palreddy, PhD

Soumya Palreddy, PhD

Consultant, Palreddy-Lowe Learning Lab
Soumya (pronunciation: SOH-myuh, she/her) is an anti-bias antiracism educator in progress, licensed psychologist, and trainer. Bringing warmth and energy, she provides training and promotes transformative change in the areas of health care inequities, centering anti-racism, leadership... Read More →
avatar for Ian Lowe

Ian Lowe

Education Consultant, Palreddy-Lowe Learning Lab
Ian (pronunciation: EE - uh n, he/him) is a Wisconsin-based educator with 15 years of classroom teaching experience. As a teacher and student advisor, Ian mentors students and staff on how to center justice and equity through course and project design. These projects are grounded... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Hy-Vee Hall Room 108

1:00pm CDT

Why the Pyramid Model Practices Matter More Than Ever: Supporting Young Children through the Pandemic and Other Challenging Times (Part 2)
This two-part session will focus on supporting the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of young children and their families. The following topics will be discussed: a)  an overview of the impact of the Pandemic on young children and families; b) pivotal practices for supporting children through these challenging times; and c) the Pyramid Model for Supporting Young Children’s Social Emotional Competence. In addition, the session will address strategies for supporting teachers and classroom staff to implement these practices.

Speakers
avatar for Adrienne Golden

Adrienne Golden

Adrienne K. Golden, Ph.D., BCBA, is a Research Associate at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.  She currently manages data collection and supports coaching and teacher training for a large multi-year research study partnered with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools... Read More →
avatar for Kiersten Kinder

Kiersten Kinder

Kiersten Kinder, Ph.D., is a Research Associate at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.  She currently coordinates a large multi-year research study partnered with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools to support implementation and sustainability of the Pyramid Model in... Read More →



Wednesday November 3, 2021 1:00pm - 2:15pm CDT
Room 320
 
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