Join us for an enlightening session focused on enhancing cultural diversity in education. Discover the transformative potential of culturally responsive teaching and sustaining pedagogy, and how they can positively impact student engagement, achievement, and well-being. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the key principles, theories, and research behind these approaches, providing you with the foundational knowledge needed for effective implementation. Delve into practical strategies, instructional techniques, and classroom practices that foster inclusivity, cultural understanding, and engagement with diverse students. Engage in reflective practice, examining your own cultural biases and assumptions, and cultivate a deeper awareness of the need for ongoing self-reflection and growth as a culturally responsive educator. Explore ways to integrate culturally relevant content, materials, and perspectives into the curriculum, ensuring that students' cultural backgrounds and experiences are valued and represented. Discover the importance of building strong connections between the school, families, and the wider community to create a supportive and culturally affirming educational environment. Leave this session with actionable ideas that you can immediately implement in your classrooms, creating welcoming and inclusive spaces where all students feel a sense of belonging. 

Family-facing professionals are often the first point of contact between a family member and the school, well before the student even enters the classroom! The connection between the family and the school are solidified in that first interaction. More and more, educational professionals are recognizing that strong customer service and student achievement go hand-in-hand: when parents, students, and staff feel valued and heard, engagement increases which leads to student achievement. 

This workshop aims to identify the “why” which spearheads the need for extraordinary customer service in creating a culture of welcome and belonging for families. Participants will evaluate current practices and learn how to take your school’s customer experience from good to great. This highly interactive workshop dives into analyzing scenarios with difficult parents and role-playing involving challenging situations. If you are a front office staff member, librarian, school counselor, principal, community liaison, teacher, coach, parent volunteer or caring adult at a school and want to consider how you could improve the customer experience to build trusting relationships with families in your school community, this workshop is for you.

The "Understanding Gender, Orientation, and Expression" workshop aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of gender and orientation beyond traditional binary concepts. This interactive and intersectional workshop explores diverse terms and contexts related to gender, sexual orientation, and gender expression. Through discussions and hands-on activities, participants are encouraged to challenge conventional beliefs and broaden their perspectives on LGBTQ+ experiences. The workshop equips participants with practical tools and resources to support LGBTQ+ individuals both personally and professionally. By the workshop's conclusion, participants will gain a better grasp of the complex nature of gender, orientation, and expression, and develop skills to advocate for and support LGBTQ+ individuals in their communities. This workshop serves as a fundamental opportunity for participants to enhance their knowledge and understanding of Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE), contributing to their personal growth in this crucial field. 

With the expansion of early learning programs across Santa Clara County, families with young children now have more opportunities to enroll their children in programs that meet their needs. Families often look to teachers, front office staff, family liaisons, and other school professionals to learn about early learning program options (childcare, preschool, and TK), especially when they are hoping to combine programs to support their busy work schedules or when they are searching for a progression of program options as their children grow. In this interactive session, participants will learn about the impact of early learning programs on children’s school readiness and future success, understand the full range of program options in Santa Clara County, and be better equipped to connect families to resources, programs, and services. Fostering a sense of belonging starts with empowering ourselves with the information necessary to help families access the early learning system.

Join us to explore how to strengthen family and community involvement in your school through the Community Schools strategy! In this session, we will delve into the four pillars of Community Schools and highlight the crucial role of caregivers and communities as decision-makers in shaping their children’s education. 

This workshop will focus on empowering families and communities to become active participants in the educational process. We firmly believe that families should be lifted up as more than just passive observers—instead, let’s explore how they can serve as authentic partners and leaders in shaping policies and programs. By fostering strong partnerships between families and schools, we can unlock the full potential of every student. 

Together we will consider the importance of decision making based on assets and needs assessments and advisory council input. We will also explore the vital role of caregivers and communities as partners in creating a culture of successful student attendance, engagement, mental and emotional well-being, and academics. 

Don't miss this transformative workshop, where families are not only given a seat at the table but are recognized as essential decision makers and partners in the educational journey. Join us as we build bridges between schools and communities, creating a brighter future together.

Prepare conditions for a trauma competent campus environment. Learn how to implement trauma informed practices throughout the school day inside and outside of the classroom to support all children, teachers, families, community partners & your own personal well-being. Our individual learning, knowledge and actions around classroom practices has a direct impact on meeting student needs inside and outside of the classroom. It begins for teachers and school leaders with an awareness that leads to self- regulation. This workshop will provide an overview for a larger toolkit of proven strategies and techniques that support all educators as the long-term impact of the pandemic becomes our new normal. In Collaboration, we will review current classroom practices and support a systematic approach to greater student outcomes using a trauma competent lens. 

This workshop will explore the crucial connection between the Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) and chronic absenteeism in schools. Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing more than 10% of school days, is a growing issue in many communities and has been linked to a range of negative outcomes, including lower academic achievement and higher dropout rates. We will examine how social factors such as poverty, housing instability, and lack of access to healthcare can impact a student's ability to attend school regularly and how this can perpetuate a cycle of disadvantage. Using interactive activities, we will explore strategies for addressing chronic absenteeism through a Social Drivers of Health lens. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between health and education, as well as practical tools for working with students and families to mitigate the impact of social drivers on school attendance and academic success. Join us for this interactive workshop, and together we can break the cycle of Chronic absenteeism.