February 20, 2024 | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Jasper High School
School Counselors from Plano ISD are invited to attend a day of training and inspiration with various speakers. You can also visit with area youth service agencies and sponsors, who will display information on their available services. Come be refreshed and invigorated to continue the work you are doing. For the full schedule see below.
Also, all School Counselors who register by February 12th will receive a COMPLIMENTARY BOOKSTORE VOUCHER to be used to shop at the on-site NCYI Resource Fair.
Dan St. Romain is a national independent educational consultant who provides staff development and consultative services to educators and parents working with children at all developmental levels. Dan is passionate about helping individuals shift their perspective on discipline, understanding the best ways to provide support given the challenges posed in today’s society.
After receiving his master’s degree in education, Dan worked in both private residential and public school settings, as well as at the Region 20 Education Service Center in San Antonio, Texas. His work as a selfcontained behavior unit teacher, educational diagnostician, behavior consultant, and director of a learning resource center has afforded him experience at all levels, in both general and special education settings. Dan is now enjoying semi-retirement after having worked in the school system for the past 30 years.
Dan’s overwhelming strength is his skill as a presenter. Although his sessions are exceedingly interactive, his greatest asset lies in his ability to offer participants rich insight into the connectedness between educational practices and student behavior. He is the author of Lessons from LaRoux: How Needs Shape Behavior in Developing Brains, Teach Skills and Break Habits: Growth Mindsets for Better Behavior in the Classroom, Positive Behavior Principles: Shifting Perspectives and Aligning Practices in Schools, and several resources for teaching social skills, featuring his chameleon, Juan Pablo.
When you throw a stone into a pond, sometimes it simply sinks—“plop”. However, if thrown just right, the rock skips. Instead of the singular “plop”, the skipping rock reaches more water, leaving ripples on the surface – and this energy changes the entire pond. As educators, we throw the stone. In this dynamic opening session, educators will learn simple ways we create ripples in the school setting that positively impact the students we serve.
Even the most rational teachers and parents get into power struggles from time to time. In this active session, participants will gain a better understanding of how power struggles occur, and learn the best strategies for avoiding them. This information is applicable PK through adulthood on all levels (dealing with behaviors of students, parents, co-workers, administrators, family members…).
Books That Make a Positive Difference
Julia Cook
Room: Cypress
In Julia’s presentation, Books That Make a Positive Difference, she leads an entertaining discussion on the use of storybooks to offer children and adults a fun way to learn important people skills. Teach your students to become lifelong problem solvers! Julia will demonstrate humorous and effective ways to use books on such subjects as anger control, grief, following instructions, tattling, bullying, personal space, interrupting, and personal safety. The writing and publishing process will also be explained – learn to become a published author!
Introduction to Supporting Those At-Risk
Megan Goldbeck
Room: Exhibit Hall B
Megan Goldbeck will share a presentation that provides introductory information on how to support someone with lived experience. Participants who are interested in learning the basics of supporting someone with lived experience will learn what research tells us about suicide and understand the process of recovery and the complex effects that a suicidal crisis can have on a family or support system. Participants will learn strategies for helping to support someone with lived experience, as well as relevant resources.
Meghan Goldbeck is the Executive Director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Louisiana and Mississippi Chapters. Meghan has had a career in the nonprofit sector for over a decade and is a strong advocate for mental health and suicide prevention in her community. She received a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and is currently working on obtaining a master’s degree in Nonprofit Administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport. She is certified in Mental Health First Aid and safeTALK. Meghan lives in suburban New Orleans with her husband and three rescue dogs, Indiana, Reese, and Archie.
Talk Saves Lives
Dr. Kevin Yaudes
Room: Exhibit Hall A
Dr. Keving Yaudes provides participants with a clear understanding of this leading cause of death, including the most up-to-date research on suicide prevention, and what they can do in their communities to save lives. Participants will learn common risk factors and warning signs associated with suicide, and how to keep themselves and others safe.
Dr. Kevin Yaudes has a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and a doctorate in Cognitive Science. He teaches psychology at the undergraduate level and counseling at the graduate level at McNeese State University. As the Assistant Department Head for the Department of Psychology & Counseling, he has clinical responsibility for the Applied Behavioral Analysis and Counseling programs within the department. He is directly responsibility for the Kay Doré Counseling Clinic (KDCC) at McNeese which is a community counseling clinic with the Department. The clinic provides counseling services to individuals in Southwest Louisiana (SWLA) and serves as a placement site for students in the counseling program at McNeese. KDCC has an established collaboration with Sam Houston High School (SHHS) in Moss Bluff, Louisiana and because of this he came to see the need for a consistent and sustained effort to address suicide in SWLA. He created a Suicide Prevention and Education Program within KDCC and through this KDCC provides services and support to SHHS, conducts professional and educational presentations regarding suicide, has trained all K-12 educators on QPR (an evidence-based suicide prevention training), and conducts research on the topic of suicide. To date, KDCC has trained over 4000 people in SWLA on QPR. Dr. Yaudes is the current Mental Health Content Expert for the University of Louisiana System and through this has created a Mental Health Advisory Council consisting of two individuals from each of the System’s 9 member universities. Each university will also establish a Mental Health Advisory Council on their campus. This is being piloted at McNeese. He serves on the boards of a number of local behavioral health clinics, serves on the state board for the America Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and is a member of two suicide prevention coalitions. Dr. Yaudes has chaired the Lake Charles Out of the Darkness Walk for AFSP for the past four years and believes that addressing suicide prevention is a way to identify the challenges and needs of local, state, and national mental health systems in general.
Age-Related Trends in Grief Among Students: Supporting Students through the Grieving Process
Brooke Ferguson
Room: Audobon
Brooke Ferguson will present a research-based talk aimed at school counselors. The presentation delves into the unique experiences of students from different age groups as they cope with grief and loss. The overarching goal of this presentation is to equip school counselors with research-based knowledge and practical tools to better understand and support students as they navigate grief and loss, creating a compassionate and empathetic school environment that fosters healing and well-being.
Meet Brooke Ferguson, an experienced Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) based in Louisiana. With a solid educational foundation including a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Social Work, she brings a practical blend of knowledge and real-world practice.
Having traversed the landscape of both outpatient and inpatient settings, Ms. Ferguson’s aptitude includes an array of invaluable services, encompassing the realms of psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and the profound modality of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Her proficiency extends to orchestrating transformative encounters within groups, couples, family and individual sessions, nurturing the soil for restoration and personal advancement.
Currently a therapist at the esteemed Family and Youth Counseling Agency, Brooke Ferguson consistently demonstrates her dedicated commitment to driving positive change. With an emphasis on research-based insights drawn from practical experience, her conference presentation will illuminate the intricacies of mental health dynamics related to age-based trends in grief.
Tentative
8:30 am – 9:00 am
Cafeteria
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Keynote Session
Dan St. Romain – The Ripple Effect
Cafeteria
10:00 am – 10:15 am
Break
10:15 am – 11:15 am
Large Group Updates
Cafeteria
11:15 am – 11:30 am
Cafeteria
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Lunch
Shop at the NCYI Bookstore
Visit with Sponsors and Community Tables
Presentation Room and Foyer
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Breakout Session 1
1:55 pm – 2:40 pm
Breakout Session 2
2:50 pm – 3:35 pm
Breakout Session 3
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Shop at the NCYI Bookstore
Presentation Room
We have many great breakout sessions that we will be offering at the conference! Look through the list below and choose the ones you would like to pre-register to attend. Please note that space in each session is limited.
The Importance of Relationships: Connecting with Hard-to-Reach Students
Lead Presenter: Ginger Healy
Ginger discusses attachment- what it is, how it’s developed, and why it’s important for academic success. She explores buffer relationships and attunement to student needs. She digs into teacher triggers and how to look at behaviors that get under our skin. Ginger will offer strategies for removing barriers that block academic success and emotional healing. Participants will make a paradigm shift in understanding behaviors and be able to implement strategies to help children reach academic success and get on the path to healing adversities.
Let’s Move: Chair Yoga
Lead Presenter: PGCPS Benefits Office
Through guided instructions, participants will be able to strengthen their muscles with seated exercise to help build healthier muscles and bones, improves posture, and relieve back pain. Chair yoga can also improve flexibility and balance. By incorporating chair exercises into your routine helps stretch your muscles to achieve their full range of motion.
Managing Explosive Behaviors in the Classroom
Lead Presenter: Dr. Jeff Bostic
This presentation will review types of explosive outbursts and matching responses to different types of explosive outbursts. In addition, the stages of outbursts are described, with interventions to help deescalate students provided at each stage.
Understanding and Managing Disruptive Behaviors in Schools
Lead Presenter: Raychelle Cassada Lohmann
Nationwide schools are experiencing a rise in disruptive student behaviors. Behavioral issues can adversely impact the school environment leading to more peer-to-peer conflict, classroom disruptions, and even staff exhaustion. Educators know firsthand the amount of time spent on disciplining and redirecting challenging behaviors. In this interactive session, you will learn how to accurately assess and interpret challenging behaviors and effectively identify the antecedents for disruptive outbursts. Additionally, you will learn evidence-based coping skills to help your students manage their emotions and control their behavior, leading to more favorable outcomes. This session will help equip you with the essential knowledge to help your students minimize challenging behaviors and maximize academic, emotional, and social success.
All summit activities, including the training sessions and Resource Fair voucher are FREE OF CHARGE. Please register below to attend and to receive a Resource Fair coupon (note the deadline).
Registration deadline:
Please Note: If we are forced to cancel the Summit because of a “force majeure” event, such as a government restriction on large gatherings that cover the intended size of the conference, then we will issue full refunds of the registrations. On social distancing and other health and safety measures, the regulations/guidelines that apply to large gathering centers may change. We will conform to all necessary regulations/guidelines that are in place as of the date of the Summit.
All School Counselors who register by February 12th will receive a COMPLIMENTARY COUPON to shop the NCYI Resource Fair at the conference!
This is an opportunity for you to personally review and purchase curriculum, activity and small group manuals, books, videos, DVDs and CDs. NCYI has the newest and best guidance resource materials available from America’s foremost publishers in Classroom Guidance, Character Education, Bullying Prevention / Intervention, Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Separation Issues, Grief Recovery, Learning Disabilities and Social Skills Training.
Save on shipping and handling – You can save 5% to 8% by purchasing from the on-site display and taking the resources with you, which eliminates shipping and handling charges! On-site discounts will also be offered.
Specialty savings on overstock items – Save 50% or more off the retail price of a unique selection of overstock items.
NCYI accepts all major credit cards, personal checks, purchase orders, and even cash for additional purchases! If you have building level funds available, you can use a school purchase order.
National Center for Youth Issues, or NCYI, is a national non-profit organization that publishes and distributes guidance resource materials for schools. In addition to publishing its own publications, NCYI represents over 40 different publishers of educational resources. They also provide training opportunities for educators through on-site training services, as well as regional and state-wide conferences.
866.318.6294
National Center for Youth Issues
P.O. Box 22185
Chattanooga, TN 37422-2185
866.318.6294
National Center for Youth Issues
P.O. Box 22185
Chattanooga, TN 37422-2185
The Attendee will receive an email confirmation to the email address provided when their registration is processed. (Make sure to check Junk/Spam folders.)
Make all checks and purchase orders payable to:
National Center for Youth Issues
