After the last few years of a pandemic, remote work, and social distancing, our social connections at work are more important than ever! Research shows that strong social connections and a sense of belonging strengthen our immune system, lower anxiety and depression, and even help us live longer. Additionally, people who feel connected are more empathetic, trusting, and cooperative. A strong sense of belonging in the workplace helps build trust and strengthens employee engagement, motivation, job satisfaction, and performance. In this highly engaging and interactive workshop, participants will learn research explaining the biology of belonging, as well as strategies and structures that they can use right now to build and strengthen a culture of belonging and cultivate connection in the workplace.

According to Gallup, only 32% of the workforce is engaged in their work. Disengaged employees negatively impact workplace morale and productivity, but when employees have a sense of connection, they collaborate and perform better. Educational organizations that foster an environment of belonging and engagement are more likely to meet demanding challenges in positive and productive ways. This session focuses on the L.E.A.D.S. framework: Leans Into Belonging & Trust, Engages Employee Purpose, Appreciates & Acknowledges, Develops Empathy & Compassion, and Sets Intentional Presence. Participants learn the fundamentals of leading with courage, connection, and compassion and leave with researched-based strategies to help cultivate an environment that empowers individuals and the organization to thrive.

Educators are tasked with ensuring the academic growth of their students, encouraging their social and emotional development, and teaching them real-world skills of collaboration and conflict resolution. How do we teach all students to build community and resolve conflicts in a healthy, appropriate way? How do we create a system that supports even the most challenging students and makes a positive difference in their lives? Explicitly teaching staff how to get to the heart of the matter and engage in cultivating restorative communities is a highly effective, inside-out approach to school climate and culture. Participants gain research-based strategies for building community and supporting informal and formal restorative strategies in the classroom/school setting.

Our brains are biased. Researchers estimate that we may be exposed to 11 million pieces of information per second. If our conscious brains tried to filter and process all of that information, they would overload! Instead, our brains create shortcuts by making connections between things, pairing concepts, and grouping things together. These quick shortcuts in the form of assumptions, stereotypes, and implicit bias about others can lead to misjudgments about people that cause hurt, pain, discrimination, injustice, and inequities in our classrooms, workplaces, and the community at large. In this informative and engaging session,, participants will explore the neuroscience and social science about assumptions, stereotypes, identity, and implicit bias and learn research-based strategies designed to interrupt and disrupt those biases in order to cultivate a climate of belonging, acceptance, psychological safety, and equity in the classroom, workplace, and world around them.

Managing relationships on a school campus or in the classroom can be tricky. Inevitably, there will be moments of hurt feelings, undesirable behavior, and resentment. When these moments occur, it is essential to recognize them and repair relationships as soon as possible. We deepen community connections and improve school/classroom culture when we give effective– and genuine– apologies, learn the science behind forgiveness and develop strategies to move forward from the hurt. Of equal importance is implementing discipline that focuses on changing behavior and helping students learn and grow, rather than more punitive approaches that aren’t effective in changing behavior. In this interactive and engaging session, participants will learn the science of forgiveness and develop skills to help release resentment. Participants will leave with strategies for teaching and giving authentic apologies, and implementing transformational discipline.

This informative, interactive, and highly engaging introductory session explores the research that supports the importance of S.E.A.L. practices for both youth and adults. Parents will learn strategies that they can engage in with their kids in order to build important skills that have been shown to strengthen resilience and the capacity to be happier and more successful in school, college, career, and life. The facilitator will lead parents in discussions and activities that they can replicate at home in order to strengthen relationships and social-emotional competencies of themselves and the whole family.