Vision in Action: The First Annual Healthy School Communities Conference

Suicide...drugs...bullying... These are just some of the issues facing school leaders today. That’s why Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES is sponsoring the first annual Healthy School Communities conference for administrators, nurses, social workers, counselors and psychologists on March 21st at BOCES’ Yorktown campus.

Dr. Steven Birchak, of the College of St. Rose, will offer a keynote address on how professionals can become reenergized when feeling overwhelmed. The conference will offer workshops on resilience, working with parents, bullying, suicide prevention, the adolescent brain, alternatives to suspensions, sex, drugs and classroom strategies to support healthy development in teens.

“We wanted to find a way to support the school professionals who are really on the front lines when it comes to supporting healthy school environments,” said BOCES' Assistant Superintendent Lynn Allen. “By drawing on outside experts as well as the expertise of people in our region, a dedicated group of professionals was able to put together a daylong program to accomplish that goal.”

Experts like Terence Houlihan will provide participants with an explanation of the developing adolescent brain and offer them tools to improve their connections with students, improve instruction and better manage their classrooms. Carol Fessler will speak about how to become a visible ally to LGBT youth, while Pat Breux discusses the best national practices in suicide safety for schools.

Ellen Bieber, Stephanie Kerchak and Ellen Fabian will present a lesson plan for teaching students empathy for those with neurological conditions such as ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome, OCD, Traumatic Brain Injury and Dyslexia. Stephen Beck will demonstrate how to use play therapy to support students who have had traumatic experiences. To register, go to www.pnwboces.org/catalog