Events

This in person book study will meet September 25, 2025 and October 30, 2025 from 3:30-5:30pm at Whiteside Elementary (must attend both sessions) Take some time to invest in yourself at the start of a new school year with a book study dedicated to help yourself set and maintain healthy boundaries. Join Amy Leritz, School Social Worker for Whiteside Elementary, in an interactive and discussion based book study. This PD will be held over 2 sessions. The book, Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab must be read as part of the book study. We’ll be discussing Chapters 1-8 during the first session, and will discuss Chapters 9-15 during the second session. Learn how to become aware of your own boundaries, identify areas of your life where healthier boundaries are needed, and what to do to create and reinforce boundaries. Participants must purchase the book independently (however the ROE will be raffling off 7 copies of the book). Registration closes Friday, September 19 at 12:00pm.

Today's students are facing unprecedented levels of anxiety—more worried, more dependent, and less resilient in the face of challenges than generations before them. As anxiety continues to skyrocket among youth, how can school professionals effectively respond to this increasingly fretful generation? This workshop provides a deep dive into understanding anxiety in students, offering insight into the key red flags and exploring why it’s becoming more pervasive in our schools. We’ll explore how anxiety manifests in students and, more importantly, how we, as school counselors and social workers, can respond with strategies that truly make a difference in alleviating their distress. In the first half of this workshop, we will focus on practical, evidence-based strategies for addressing student anxiety in the classroom. From recognizing early signs to providing effective interventions, we’ll discuss approaches that foster emotional resilience and support students in building coping skills for academic and personal success. The second half of the session shifts to the critical role school professionals play in managing their own well-being. Educators, counselors, and social workers are often the first line of support for students, yet they can struggle with their own stress and burnout. In this segment, participants will learn self-care techniques and strategies to combat stress and anxiety, ensuring they remain at their best for the students they serve. Through guided reflection and discussion, attendees will develop a personalized Resilience Plan—equipping them with the tools needed to thrive, both in their professional roles and in their personal lives.

Location: Mascoutah # 19 (specific school TBD). This day is structured into four mini-sessions to ensure all PK-12 physical educators will leave with a wealth of information, strategies and resources to return back to your buildings and best support your programs and students. Session 1: Current Trends and Future Possibilities in PE Implications for Fitness, Health, and Wellbeing - This presentation will cover current efforts, expectations and activities associated with physical education. An educational approach connecting the physical to the physiological aspects of movement along with discussion of examples and options as to how we can easily provide a broader well-being perspective in PE. Session 2: Enhanced PE: What it means and why it’s important. Recent legislative efforts in Illinois recommend that schools deliver a health-related fitness approach in PE. This session will provide options and approaches to meet a health-related fitness approach in PE. Session 3: Fitness Testing: Is it Even Useful Anymore?  - This year re-establishes the Illinois fitness testing legislative data submission requirement with fitness testing data being submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education. While fitness testing is a routine part of PE programs, test administration, protocols, and results are often considered to suspect. Learn how to get more out of this process and make it meaningful. Session 4: The Relevance and Data Analysis of Fitness Testing While physical fitness tests are an important assessment component in PE, little is done with the data obtained from those assessments. There is a wealth of information that can be obtained from those fitness testing. Learn how to manage fitness data and the health-related applications of physical fitness assessments. Registration for this event will CLOSE on Tuesday, October 6, 2025 at 3:00pm, we will not be able to accommodate additional registrations after October 6.

As the face and heartbeat of the school, secretaries juggle it all—supporting staff, managing visitors, solving problems on the fly, and keeping things running smoothly. This session is your time to pause, connect, and reflect. We’ll talk through common challenges, celebrate successes, and share practical strategies for relationship-building, handling tough situations, and caring for yourself in the process. Walk away with new ideas, fresh perspective, and a plan that puts both your skills and well-being front and center. A virtual link will be sent prior to the event date. Registration closes October 6 at 12:00pm.

Join Heidy LaFleur, Tauma, Behavior and Leadership Expert (Creator of The Social Emotional Alphabet) in this virtual session.  The following tools and their themes will take us on a learning  journey to avoid pitfalls of power struggling with students and instead build strong and trusting relationships to guide them to success: Believe They’re Doing the Best They Can (Boundaries make us Builders, not Busters), Use Solution Language (Look in the Mirror), Listen to Learn (Help others feel Seen, Heard, Understood & Validated), Rethink Resistance (No One is Trying to make your Life Miserable), Control the Controllables (What am I Afraid Of?), Understand the Triangles, (Where is the Student & What can They Access?) I “Hear” You Loud & Clear (Is the Cortex Open for business?), Feedback is Information for Growth (Creating the Culture), Fair is Not Equal (It’s Not Giving Them What They Want. It’s Giving Them What They Need.) & Regulating Yourself (Is Your AWE Bringing You Peace?) Objectives

• Take away 10+ tools to avoid power struggles

• Learn language to build relationships and be able to lead difficult conversations around behavior

• Continue to develop perspective that success looks different for every child

Registration will close 4-5 days prior to the event.

This is a free workshop on behalf of the Illinois Masonic Foundation, lunch will be provided on site.  Boosting student motivation, engagement, and academic success can be incredibly rewarding and downright fun with the right mix of strategies and tools. Dive into these dynamic approaches and innovative tools that transform the learning experience into an exciting adventure for both teachers and students. Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event unless tickets are sold out.

As an instructional coach or interventionist, you play a pivotal role in supporting educators and students, but your own work can be demanding and stressful. This workshop is specifically designed to help you navigate the pressures of your role while also equipping you with strategies to manage stress and foster a healthy, positive work environment.

In this session, we will explore the fundamentals of stress response and how it impacts both you and those you work with. You will gain a deeper understanding of the physiological and psychological effects of stress and learn how to identify common stressors that can influence your work performance and well-being.

We will also delve into the significance of workplace attitudes in creating a productive and supportive environment. Topics like job satisfaction, morale, organizational commitment, and work engagement will be discussed, highlighting how these factors directly affect your success and the effectiveness of your coaching and interventions.

Moreover, this workshop will provide you with practical coping strategies to manage stress in your daily routine. These techniques are designed to help you balance the demands of your role while promoting your own mental and emotional well-being, ultimately improving your ability to support others in the school community.

By the end of the session, you will leave with a toolkit of strategies to cope with stress, maintain a positive attitude, and enhance your work life, making you a more effective coach and interventionist.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding the stress response and its role in the workplace

• Identifying workplace stressors and their impact on your role

• Exploring the importance of job satisfaction, morale, and work engagement

• Implementing healthy coping strategies to manage work-related stress

• Building a positive work environment to support both your well-being and that of your colleagues

Join us for this interactive and practical workshop, and gain the tools you need to thrive in your role while supporting the success of those around you.

Time will be given (35 minutes) for lunch on your own. Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date.

This session is designed for instructional/behavioral/interventionists & coaches at any stage who want to strengthen their impact with teachers and students. Explore high-leverage student engagement strategies that can seamlessly integrate into your coaching conversations. Revisit your coaching playbook with fresh eyes and practical tools to refine your approach. Along the way, we’ll also focus on sustaining your purpose, strengthening relationships, and prioritizing self-care—because thriving coaches create thriving learning communities. After this session, ime will be given for lunch (on your own). We will re-group to debrief, collaborate, problem solve and share resources before you return back to your district.  Registration closes 4-5 days prior to the event date.