SLS Events
Cadres
Early Career Special Educator
Girard |
April 18 | 9:00 am—3:00 pm |
REGISTER HERE |
The Early Career Special Educator Cadre aims to equip teachers with the knowledge, skills, and support necessary to thrive in their first years in the Special Education classroom. The Greenbush Specialized Learning Services team is well-versed in the leadership and coaching strategies necessary to introduce early career teachers to the world of special education without leaving them to feel that mastery of practice is expected. Instead, program participants will understand that as they face new and difficult challenges they will be supported by a team of professionals and a network of peers who are committed to supporting them as they navigate the world of supporting students with exceptionalities.
Early Childhood
Girard |
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9:00 am—3:00 pm | |
April 11 | REGISTER HERE |
Audience: Early Childhood educators, administrators, or other service providers working with young children.
Purpose: The Early Childhood Cadre is a year-long learning opportunity and networking experience for early childhood practitioners. Participants will have access to enriching professional development and relevant-to-the-field collaboration regarding best practices and practical tools to support early learners. The cadre offers three in-person events and optional virtual support throughout the year.
Forums
Early Childhood
VIRTUAL
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
*Click on the dates below to register
The Early Childhood Forum is a space where Early Childhood providers and educators can collaborate in group discussions, share experiences and resources, ask questions, and discuss trending topics related to EC.
Additionally, Early Childhood providers can discuss and share assessment and data collection processes to provide effective intervention strategies in working with young children.
Presented by: Andrea Scott & Jennifer Taylor
School Counselor
VIRTUAL
9:30 am – 10:30 am
*Click on the dates below to register
The School Counselor Forum is a dynamic platform that brings together dedicated professionals in the field of education who play a pivotal role in shaping the lives of students. This forum serves as a hub for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and professional development, where school counselors can exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and explore innovative approaches to enhance the well-being and academic success of students.
Presented by: Ralita Cheeks
School Nurse
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VIRTUAL
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
*Click on the dates below to register
We would like to extend an invitation to you to become a part of our monthly School Nurse forum. These forums will be a place where school nurses will gain knowledge from expert speakers on various topics that impact school nursing practice and will provide an opportunity to interact with each other, share experiences, ask questions, seek advice, and learn from their school nursing peers.
Topics to be Covered:
- Mental Health Awareness/Treatment
- Suicide Prevention
- Assessing for Substance Abuse Risk
- How to Diffuse an Escalating Event
- Self-Care (students/staff/community)
Hosted by:
Kenny Massey
SLS/Crisis Consortium at Greenbush
Chris Tuck, MS, RN, BSN, NCSN-E
Retired School Nurse/Director of Health Services at USD #345 Seaman/Topeka
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School Psychologist
VIRTUAL
8:00 am – 9:00 am
*Click on the dates below to register
The school psychologist forum will be a space for practitioners, practicum students, and interns to come together and collaborate, share resources, ask questions, and learn from each other. We will discuss relevant-to-the-field topics, best practices, and real world (school) implications of service provision.
Presented by: Tommie Gonsalez and Susan Severin
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School Psychologist – Dyslexia
VIRTUAL
8:00 am – 8:50 am
*Click on the dates below to register
Providing a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation for dyslexia can be a daunting undertaking. Using the definition of dyslexia and the Kansas Eligibility Indicators for the identification of dyslexia can aid in this process. However, we have found that school psychologists and IEP teams may still benefit from the opportunity to ask questions and process together through Dyslexia evaluation best practices. That’s where the “School Psych Virtual Office Hour Dyslexia Evaluation” Office Hours comes into play.
Alongside Mandy Cundy, EdS-NCSP and other school psychologists, practitioners will have the opportunity to bring their cases, data, and process through their questions (all while maintaining confidentiality). Mandy will pull-in and model the use of resources that she makes available in her training, The Ins And Outs of Dyslexia And Dyslexia Assessment: What Exactly Is Dyslexia And What Exactly Am I Supposed To Be Testing?
Note: Participation in the training “The Ins And Outs of Dyslexia And Dyslexia Assessment: What Exactly Is Dyslexia And What Exactly Am I Supposed To Be Testing?”, Featuring: Mandy Cundy, EdS-NCSP is not a prerequisite for attendance to the Dyslexia Office Hours.
School Social Work
Presented by: Ralita Cheeks
Workshops
Navigating Discipline: Decision-Making for Students with IEP’s & 504’s
Girard
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
04/18/2024
Presented by: Sarah Loquist, Attorney at Law, Trish Backman, KSDE, and Jennifer Taylor, Greenbush.
Embark on an exciting adventure: Mastering School Discipline with Confidence! Explore the world of challenging choices, school rules, and regulations. Discover invaluable tips for making discipline your ally. Be part of an exhilarating session on navigating the intricate web of school regulations with resilience and finesse. Your empowering journey begins now!
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging 103 with the Focus on Race
**This event is only available for the individuals who completed 101 & 102.
Lawrence 9:00 am-2:30 pm |
May 7, 2024 |
REGISTER HERE |
Presented by: Ralita Cheeks
Continue to be a part of the conversation, with our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging workshop. The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging 103 with the Focus on Race workshop is continuation of a four-part series that offers attendees the tools to dig deeper into self-awareness and increase their knowledge and respect for races.This is done by applying new meaning to traditional concepts. The goal is to foster a respectful, inclusive, and equitable environment where everyone can belong, thrive and learn.
Drug Awareness Training
Lawrence 9:00 am-1:00 pm |
April 15, 2024 |
REGISTER HERE |
Presented by: Tim Anderson, Kansas Highway Patrol
This training session will focus on the prevalence of drug use in society and the observable signs and symptoms associated with impairing levels of those substances. Attendees will be presented with information that can be used to determine whether people they interact with professionally might be consuming drugs or whether they could be suffering from a medical condition mimicking drug impairment. A discussion related to the ongoing fentanyl crisis will be included in this presentation.
PREPaRE W1
Girard |
March 27, 2024 8:00 am-4:00 pm |
REGISTER HERE |
Participants will learn how to establish and sustain comprehensive school safety efforts that attend to both physical and psychological safety. The workshop addresses critical components needed to develop, exercise, and evaluate safety and crisis teams and plans and conduct building vulnerability assessments. The model also integrates school personnel and community provider roles in providing school-based crisis preparedness and response activities. Additional topics addressed also include media/social media, communication, reunification, students with special needs, culture, and memorials. After this workshop, participants will be better prepared to improve their school’s climate, student resilience, and crisis response capabilities of school personnel. With updated research and strategies, this workshop makes a clear connection between ongoing crisis prevention, mitigation, protection, and response. PREPaRE workshops offer NASP-approved CPD’s (7) for completion of this professional development.
Budget Organization
Andover, KS
April 24, 2024
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
As a Special Education Director, do you struggle to know how to gather your financial data and organize it in a meaningful way? April Hilyard, Director of Butler County Special Education Interlocal, will share with you where to gather your financial information, how to organize the data, and how to create visuals that you can use to communicate with your board of directors.
April Hilyard has been a special educator for 25 years and an administrator for 11 years, supporting both Wichita Public Schools and Butler County Interlocal. She been married for almost 26 years to husband Shane. They have two children. Claire (21) is a special education teacher in Rose Hill. Dalton (19) is a Wichita Fire Fighter.
Social Emotional Development Through Play
Girard |
Lawrence |
April 25, 2024 9:00 am-3:00 pm |
April 30, 2024 9:00 am-3:00 pm |
REGISTER HERE | REGISTER HERE |
Children need to develop various skill sets to optimize their development and manage toxic stress. Research demonstrates that developmentally appropriate play with parents and peers is an opportunity to promote the social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that build executive function and a healthy brain. When humans are absorbed in play, we take risks as a matter of course. We learn to feel safe trying new things. By prioritizing play, schools do more than deepen social and emotional learning; they also build the foundation for academic growth. In this workshop, we will discover the science behind the developmental stages of play, the benefits of play, and resources for how to embed play into your classroom setting.
Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Resilience Among Students
Girard
8:30 am – 12:00 pm
May 1
The Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Resilience Among Students workshop is a comprehensive program designed to equip educators with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to support student well-being in school settings. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and practical exercises, participants will explore the importance of mental health awareness and resilience-building in fostering positive outcomes for students. The workshop will cover topics such as recognizing signs of mental health struggles, implementing strategies for creating a culture of mental health awareness, and destigmatizing discussions around mental health. Participants will leave the workshop with actionable tools and strategies to promote student resilience and well-being in their schools.
Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Resilience in Adults
Girard
8:30 am – 12:00 pm
May 16, 2024
The Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Resilience among Adults is a comprehensive program designed to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to support adults well-being in work place settings. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and practical exercises, participants will explore the importance of mental health awareness and resilience-building in fostering positive outcomes for adults. The workshop will cover topics such as recognizing signs of mental health struggles, implementing strategies for creating a culture of mental health awareness, and destigmatizing discussions around mental health. Participants will leave the workshop with actionable tools and strategies to promote adult resilience and well-being in their employment.
VIRTUAL SESSIONS
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
9:00 am-10:00 am
*Click on the date to register
Presented by: Ralita Cheeks, Lindsay McKanna
Introducing the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Virtual Workshop Series. Our, one hour, DEIB Virtual Workshop is a four-part series designed to foster a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within organizations and communities. Grounded in the principles of social justice and equality, these workshops offer an interactive learning experience that empowers participants to create positive change in their personal and professional lives. Join us on this transformative journey toward building a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and belonging-focused society. Together, we can make a significant and lasting impact on individuals, organizations, and communities.
April 16, 2024 – Belonging |
Budget Organization for Special Education Directors (two-part series)
9:00 am-10:00 am
As a Special Education Director, do you struggle to know how to gather your financial data and organized it in a meaningful way? In this two-part virtual series, April Hilyard, Director of Butler County Special Education Interlocal, will share with you where to gather your financial information, how to organize the data and how to create visuals that you can use to communicate with your board of directors. Bring your financial support staff along with you! April Hilyard has been a special educator for 25 years and an administrator for 11 years, supporting both Wichita Public Schools and Butler County Interlocal.
Note: This is a two-part series, to be held on 3/21/2024 & 4/11/2024. The same zoom link will be used for both sessions.
504 Foundations
9:00 am-11:00 am
*Click on the date to register
This two-part virtual training series will offer school staff an opportunity to learn about 504 foundational components, practices, and law. Attendees will talk through the legal requirements of 504, will walk away with examples of forms and resources, and talk-through “real-school” scenarios of supporting students through the nuanced 504 process and procedure. This session is Session 1 of the 2-part series.
4/2/2024 (Session 1)
4/4/2024 (Session 2)
Youth Mental Health First Aid – Virtual
8:00 am-12:30 pm
*Two-day events. Click on the dates to register
Youth Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training that teaches parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers and any other citizen how to identify, understand and respond to an adolescent (ages 12-18) who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.
Presented by: Dr. Ralita Cheeks
Ralita earned two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Criminal Justice and one in Religion from Kansas Wesleyan University and a Master’s degree in Counseling and Student Development from Kansas State University. She completed her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of Kansas. Ralita has worked in the mental health field as a case manager as well as the field of education as a high school counselor, middle school counselor, virtual school counselor and a district mental health liaison. Ralita is a licensed school counselor. In the school setting, Ralita has worked with children kindergarten through 12th grade as well as serving the needs of students in the classroom with emotional behavioral students. Using a student centered approach and being data driven, Ralita helps meet the needs of students. She is QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Certified, Youth Mental Health Aid Trainer, as well as licensed in Social Justice from the University of Kansas. Ralita has a heart to meet the needs of students and empowers those around students to show up as their best self through self care, consistency and follow through.
April 4-5
The Responsive Practices: School Safety for School Resource Officers (SROs) and School Administrators
Lawrence
9:00 am-3:00 pm
Participants will be equipped with the tools and insights needed to navigate expectations, contribute to a culture of safety and respect, and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within their school communities. Additionally, discussion and resources to offer clarity for legal considerations and responding to emergencies. This training is an investment in fostering a holistic approach to school safety that prioritizes planning, collaboration and the well-being of students, staff, and community.
Participant Engagement
The summit employs a dynamic blend of expert presentations, interactive sessions, case law studies, and networking. Participants will engage in open discussions, scenario-based learning, and hands-on activities to reinforce their understanding and application of the training content.
Event Goals: