2019 Denver School Climate and Culture Symposium: Full Schedule

This interactive session will provide participants with an understanding of Restorative Practices and community building circles through data and examples. There will be a brief activity that helps learners understand the profound influence perspective has when conflict or harm occurs. With over ten year years of implementing and practices Restorative Practices in schools, the goal is for participants to take away the very basic tools of Restorative Practices, and be prepared to initiate a circle or facilitate a conference when students return in the fall

Speakers

Jen Gallegos

Co-Founder, The RJ Solution

Jen Gallegos was a math teacher, high school Dean of Students, middle school AP of Climate and Culture, Elementary School Principal, and the Director of Student Discipline and Truancy for Jeffco Schools, overseeing discipline and attendance for over 160 schools and 85,000 students... Read More →

Jen Gallegos

The RJ Solution

I am currently the Manager of Student Discipline for a large school district and a member of the State RJ Council. I have implemented Restorative Practices in schools for the last 10 years, working at all levels as a teacher, dean of students, administrator, and elementary school... Read More →

Monday October 14, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Snowmass Room

Breakout Session, 10:00 - 11:00 Breakout Session

10:00am PDT

The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey

Imagine walking into your school where positive administrators work together with inspired educators to develop positive student leaders. Imagine your students, teachers, and principals sharing leadership and responsibility for building a dynamic and positively contagious school culture. Imagine a proven model and framework that reduces, removes and transforms the negativity prevalent in education into a positively energizing, mission-driven growth experience for your students, teachers, staff and families. Imagine engaged students, staff, teachers, and administrators working together and sharing common language and best practices that help sustain a positive learning culture. Learn from three area principals who are implementing the 7 Principles of The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey! Based on the book, "The Energy Bus," by best-selling author, Jon Gordon.

Speakers

Nick Holtvluwer

Principal, Mammoth Heights Elementary

Michelle Franci

Principal, Stone Mountain Elementary

Chris Neville

Principal, Maple Grove Elementary

Monday October 14, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Longs and Pikes

Breakout Session, 10:00 - 11:00 Breakout Session

10:00am PDT

Utilizing Student Mentoring to Educate and Engage Students

For over a decade, the Ambassadors at Poudre High School, have utilized a curriculum called Students Mentoring Students to build relationships with every freshman. Over the course of the year, students teach thirteen 80-minute lessons on topics such as diversity, sexual assault, teen dating violence prevention, mental health, and bullying prevention. The curriculum is facilitated through small groups and classroom guidance and outcomes have included increased student engagement, reported connections and fewer failing grades for freshmen students. Facilitators of the program and classroom leaders will be present to discuss the successes of the program and answer questions.

Speakers

Cassie Poncelow

School Counselor, Poudre High School

Cassie Poncelow was lucky enough to have some incredible mentors as an adolescent. One of them was her High School Counselor who taught her that it was okay to not always be “okay” and that relationships mattered more than anything else. She also inspired her to be High School... Read More →

Denny Bain

Poudre High School

Monday October 14, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
General Session Room

Breakout Session, 10:00 - 11:00 Breakout Session

11:00am PDT

Break and Exhibitor Tables

Monday October 14, 2019 11:00am - 11:15am PDT
Lobby

Break

11:15am PDT

Be SMART: A Conversation about Kids, Guns and Safety

SMART is an acronym for five steps we can take to prevent tragedies that occur when a child gets access to an unsecured gun: Secure all guns in your homes and vehicles; Model responsible behavior around guns; Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes; Recognize the roles of guns in suicide; Tell your peers to be SMART. Our presentation is a deeper dive into those principles and why it is so important. We believe that safety is always up to the adult and if we can prevent even one child gun death or injury, it is our responsibility to do so.

Speakers

Be Smart Colorado

Monday October 14, 2019 11:15am - 11:30am PDT
General Session Room

Breakout Session, 11:15 - 12:15 Breakout Session

11:15am PDT

If You Could Turn Back Time: Reclaim 5-9 Hours of Instruction Time

Educators on average are losing 5-9 hours a week on lower-level discipline challenges. Low-level disruptions are stealing precious instruction time. Participants will learn how to avoid the "debate bait"—how to eliminate warnings and multiple requests. Participants will learn how to increase academics, decrease discipline challenges, gain parent support, and empower all educators. Participants will be encouraged and challenged to implement strategies and techniques that will change the classroom and campus climate immediately.

Speakers

Janet Campain

Time to Teach Associate, Time to Teach

Janet is currently employed at Riffenburgh Elementary School in Fort Collins, Colorado and serves as a member of the Behavior Management Team. In addition, Janet has had the opportunity to train teachers and staff in classroom management techniques and strategies.Appointed to the... Read More →

Monday October 14, 2019 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Snowmass Room

Breakout Session, 11:15 - 12:15 Breakout Session

11:15am PDT

Shattering Heternormative Misconceptions in Biology

LGBTQ youth are victimized and ostracized for a multitude of reasons. When educators aren't prepared for questions related to LGBTQ youth their response of silence furthers isolation of these students. The taboo reinforces misconceptions of biology and prejudices against our LGBTQ students. We have the ability to help these students learn they are biologically natural. During the workshop we will discuss inheritance patterns of orientation and gender. You will learn more engaging ways to teach inheritance concepts including crossing over, non-disjuncture, trisomy, polygenic traits, and gene expression. It is time to shatter the gender binary created by Mendel's model of gender. We are more interesting than pea plants.

Speakers

Andrew Milbauer

Science Teacher, Poudre High School

Andrew Milbauer began teaching in 1999. He completed his M. Ed from University of Minnesota in Science Education in 2003. His background has been combining his passion for biology with relevance to all students. During his graduate courses he was dismayed to see little support or... Read More →

Monday October 14, 2019 11:15am - 12:15pm PDT
Longs and Pikes

Breakout Session, 11:15 - 12:15 Breakout Session

12:15pm PDT

Lunch

Monday October 14, 2019 12:15pm - 12:45pm PDT
General Session Room

Lunch

12:45pm PDT

Spirit of Education Award Presentation

Monday October 14, 2019 12:45pm - 1:00pm PDT
General Session Room

Lunch

1:00pm PDT

Climate & Culture Reflection

Speakers

Mark Busch

Planning Chair, National Safe Schools Convening

Monday October 14, 2019 1:00pm - 1:15pm PDT
General Session Room

Lunch

1:30pm PDT

Building A Climate and Culture Supportive of Trauma Competency

This workshop will demonstrate how to become trauma competent by understanding brain neuroscience as it relates to trauma and how it impacts learning. Participants will learn hands-on trauma sensitive teaching strategies that can be immediately practiced in the classroom. Direct instruction includes small group collaborative activities and movement to practice strategies taught. The workshop is highly effective in raising awareness and how to move towards becoming trauma competent. This training is valuable for teachers, administrators, or community members who work with traumatized youth.

Speakers

Kelly Mitchell

Lead Trainer, LifeTrax

Monday October 14, 2019 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
General Session Room

Breakout Session, 1:30 - 2:30 Breakout Session

1:30pm PDT

Civil Dialogue: Intentional Conversations for Inclusive Classrooms

Developing safe, supportive, and inclusive communities requires all students to feel empowered to amplify their voices. However, engaging in civil discourse and respectful conversations can be a challenge to facilitate in the classroom. In this session, frameworks for infusing civil dialogue into educator curriculum will be shared, and activities modeling best practices will be evaluated. Participant swill have the opportunity to ask questions of a former school educator and current professional development coordinator.

Speakers

Mark Busch

Planning Chair, National Safe Schools Convening

Monday October 14, 2019 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Longs and Pikes

Breakout Session, 1:30 - 2:30 Breakout Session

1:30pm PDT

Fostering Allyship and Safe Spaces for LGBTQ Youth

In this session, participants will gain a baseline knowledge of differences between gender identity and sexual orientation and understand how to develop safe and supportive learning environments for their youth. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions in a safe and supportive atmosphere and get honest answers from experts in the field.

Speakers

Becky Smith

Monday October 14, 2019 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Snowmass Room

Breakout Session, 1:30 - 2:30 Breakout Session

2:30pm PDT

Break and Exhibitor Tables

Monday October 14, 2019 2:30pm - 2:45pm PDT
Lobby

Break

2:45pm PDT

Climate and Culture Reflection

Feedback Survey

Speakers

Mark Busch

Planning Chair, National Safe Schools Convening

Monday October 14, 2019 2:45pm - 3:00pm PDT
General Session Room