Breakout Session Descriptions

The quote by Bill Milliken that "programs don't change people, relationships do" has been the core of our work at CIS for over 40 years. Through a partnership with the Search Institute, CIS is excited to bring to life evidence behind what we have always known: that strong developmental relationships with our students lay the foundation for everything else that we do. This workshop explores the power of relationships, the Developmental Relationships Framework (DRF) as well as developmental relationships practices and activities that can be applied in -person and virtually.

Experience 6 ideas that will help you create meetings that are impactful, equitable and fun! This mixture of intentional choices and specific methods help produce productive conversations, build for better decisions as well as engage more folks during the meeting. Best of all, we'll explore how to use these in both virtual and F2F meetings. You all get hands-on experience with a variety of meeting practices then we'll take a step sideways and explore what worked and how. Leave psyched to try new strategies for your next meeting. This fast-paced and interactive workshop will have you quickly involved in the content.

Your board has voted on new directors and you are ready to move onward. What happens now?

This workshop will unravel the various threads that make for a turbocharged onboarding process. From the first hello to the first few meetings, there are many actions, some small and all intentional, that when woven together create a strong and sustainable onboarding program. By breaking this down to a series of small steps, it is possible to engage your returning board members in leadership position, incorporate micro-training concepts, and provide a pathway for new members to become a meaningful part of your board.

Participants will learn the conceptual framework of Reconnect and how that relates to what happens when our bodies experience stress, trauma, and triggers. Participants will learn briefly about the 7 different tools that allow the body to Reconnect to its resiliency zone during crisis. Participants will also learn how to use these tools with students. The different between co-regulation and self-regulation will be taught. Participants will learn how the brain handles stress and sends signals to the body in which cause us to shut down or amp up. Finally, participants will learn how relationships make all the difference when using R2R.

REST+REJUVENATION: Join Michele for a special time to learn mindfulness tools + techniques to support your process of learning what works best for you and tailor your lifestyle so that it nurtures your best self into being. Learn how to release unhealthy attachments to structures and routines that sabotage your access to what to what nurtures and nourishes your best self.

Picking Up The Pieces, we will discuss generational changes, parent resources, being involved and staying involved as a parent ways to keep them engaged and discussing tier programs. The session will be interactive with participants and also bring in student perspectives.

Join us as we explore the many virtual learning opportunities, tools, and resources for starting your 20/21 school year strong. The CIS National Office is providing reengagement tools, webinars, and training throughout the coming year to support you as you reengage with students – both in person and remotely. This session will dive deeper into the existing CIS National resources to support your work, what's coming next, and provide an opportunity for you to connect with your peers to learn from their promising practices for remote engagement. Bring your best practices and come ready to engage!

Participants will receive a road map of best practices pertaining to supporting the academic and relational needs of students and families from both in-person and virtual perspectives.

In this session we will discuss the roots of RP and how we as a school implemented the program. We will cover the fundamentals, circle processes, implementation successes and challenges, and the role of the site coordinator in the process.

Board Members, please join us to hear a State of the NC Network, learn from fellow Board members across the state and give input into the Board Training calendar. We want to hear directly from you about how CISNC can best support you.

Systems are resilient, but so are we. Many of the systems we have in place today are working as they were intended to work and data shows that these unjust systems don't work for everyone. Join us to begin to cultivate your awareness of how these systems are also within you and how you can begin to interrupt them. We'll discuss identity, power dynamics, and the concept of markedness. Let's work on questioning what we consider "normal" so that we can cultivate more equitable and inclusive systems.

The SEL Model perfectly aligns and expands on the EI program that I delivered at the 2018 Impact Conference. This session will expand and enhance the model with a focus on tactics and strategies for the participants to consider, understand, embrace and apply. The goal will be to establish the model and then leverage the wisdom of the attendees. As a facilitator, the impact of the program can only be measured after the participants have had a chance to return to their 'homes' and apply the concepts and then evaluate the difference the learned tactics and strategies make.

In summer 2020, CIS Cape Fear had the opportunity to collaborate with The Children's Defense Fund's Freedom School. CDF's model empowers our youth and their ability to make a difference through literacy and enrichment. You're invited to join us to learn about the impact this 6-week literacy program left on the scholars and how this programming will continue to impact their future.

Workshop leaders Greg, Mebane, and Adam will provide participants with basic definitions related to advocacy and share concepts about how to build a successful advocacy strategy in your community. Participants will also learn about what is and what is not legally permissible when advocating or lobbying as a 501c3 nonprofit organization. In addition, session leaders will discuss how NC Child, CF/CIS of Buncombe County, New Hanover Resiliency Task Force, and other agencies are working together to build a strong multi-issue child advocacy network in NC.

Thriving in a Virtual Environmental is designed to help seminar attendees create a personal environment and persona that allows them to thrive in their virtual dealings. Whether they are conducting video conference meetings, participating in online classrooms/training, or leading an online panel, this seminar has tips and tricks that will improve how the attendee is perceived in any virtual environment.

This presentation provides adequate practices and steps in parent engagement during tough times. COVID-19 has provided a roadblock for parents and school districts to appropriately serve our mission in schools. Therefore, receiving the investment from parents is vital during this time. This presentation will address how to sell your CIS brand to parents, instilling quality engagement practices to parents during their busy schedules and communicating to parents the outcome-driven programs and the importance to their child(ren)'s lives. These objectives will be explained best by understanding the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

The secrets to motivating students approach comes from years of research on Systematic motivation but also focuses on ensuring that each educator working with students is motivated to be peak performers FIRST.

How can we ensure our teams are successful, strong, effective and resilient? How can we foster collaboration and inclusion while keeping our teams focused on a common goal? Education leaders at all levels can learn how to apply project management principles and best practices to teams, projects, committees and other collaborative endeavors to ensure successful outcomes. Whether leading a team or project, chairing a committee, or trying to keep a meeting on track, project management principles can be used to support trust, inclusion and vulnerability among team members, and guide diverse groups towards a shared vision of success.