How can schools respond to what seems like an epidemic of students affected by serious trauma and anxiety? 

The VT-HEC has made a commitment to support educators, administrators and others who work with students who have been impacted by trauma and anxiety.  Whether it is general introduction to the effects of trauma/anxiety, developing programs for specific students or building the capacity of schools’ MTSS, the VT-HEC has been developing coordinated learning opportunities and supports to help schools move forward to best respond to the needs of these students.

There are many introductions available on the impact of trauma and anxiety and the strategies that can help address them, but the VT-HEC is committed to going further and deeper developing an array of learning opportunities supporting the application of the most effective strategies and creating robust in-school expertise. Working with the Northeast Family Institute (NFI) and experts like Paul Foxman, Jon Udis, Joelle Van Lent, Gillian Boudreau and Lynn Lyons, we are planning a coordinated series of workshops, courses and other supports to continue over the next few years.

So far these plans have included:

Spring 2017

Developmental Trauma and Trauma-Informed Schools: Transforming Knowledge to Action In partnership with the Northeast Family Institute (NFI), the VT-HEC kicked off this new series with NFI’s David Melnick presenting a workshop on February 16, 2017 in Montpelier, VT attended by over 80 participants.  The workshop could be taken as part of a graduate course entitled: Developmental Trauma and Trauma-Informed Schools: Theory, Practice, and Implementation.  This course, taken by 28 students, was the first in what is planned to be a series of courses that will support school personnel as they work to apply the principles of Trauma-Informed Schools.

Fall 2017 

Developmental Trauma and Trauma-Informed Schools: Transforming Knowledge to Action, with David Melnick, LICSW, in Rutland, VT ~ Over 80 educators and others participated in two workshop days while 30 folks attended the three additional dates for the level I graduate course. The workshops gave participants a firm foundation in the basics and the optional course took participants deeper into planning and implementation of these strategies in each of their school settings.

Power Struggles: What to do When a Student Says, “Make Me!”  65 educators and others worked with Jon Udis in Killington, VT on 11/8. Jon shared both what not to do and the strategies that work to de-escalate the situation and get students back on track. Participants left with an overall plan of action including being prepared for the next confrontation. 

Spring 2018 

Fostering Resilient Learners: Creating Trauma Sensitive School Communities, with Joelle van Lent, Psy.D, and Gillian Boudreau, Ph.D., in Montpelier, VT ~ Four workshop days (1/18, 2/16, 3/16, 4/12) with an additional date (5/17) for the 3-credit optional graduate course. 86 people attended the first workshop with 30 signed up for the course. Day 1 focused on the basics of the impact of trauma on kids’ ability to form relationships. The remaining workshops will address building resilience utilizing mindfulness and other strategies. These offerings will put participants and their schools on track to support students impacted by trauma within their classrooms & MTSS.

Managing Anxiety in the Classroom, Paul Foxman, Ph.D., in Montpelier, VT (1/26) Daily headlines and events over the recent past have only added to the many sources of anxiety that are putting more and more kids in the situation of trying to deal with chronic and serious anxiety without the supports or tools to help. Over 100 participants are registered to hear Paul help them recognize the symptoms of anxiety and begin to develop strategies to help students cope and succeed.

Level 2 Course – Trauma Transforming Schools: Advanced Skills and Systems Change Dave Melnick and VT-HEC partnered to develop this 2^nd level course for educators who completed the level 1 course. This course focuses on the application of the principles of trauma-informed schools.

Fall 2018 

SAVE THE DATE – Managing Anxiety in a School Setting – Lynn Lyons LICSW– – October 10-11, Stoweflake Resort, Stowe, VT –  Lynn has been featured on NPR’s On Point, NY Times Magazine, Time Magazine as well as her own books and publications. In these workshops, Lynn explores concrete and often counter-intuitive strategies that normalize worry for families and provide an “umbrella approach” that is applicable to all of the anxiety disorders.

These workshops will demonstrate HOW to interrupt anxiety and OCD’s cognitive patterns with simple, process-based strategies that challenge the use of strategies that inadvertently support avoidance of anxious symptoms. There will be an option to receive extended implementation support from Lynn through interactive video seminars.

On the Drawing Board – Encore offerings of our Level I & II courses plus workshops focused on trauma and young children, autism/developmental disabilities, mindfulness and more.

Go to vthec.org for more information & registration. 

Funding Program Development & Scholarships

The VT-HEC Board of Directors has established the VT-HEC Mission Investment Fund for the purpose of advancing our goal of providing high quality professional learning opportunities that support the success of every Vermont student. The VT-HEC Mission Investment Fund will be focused on developing new professional learning offerings in high need areas and supporting increased access to current VT-HEC offerings by providing a limited number of scholarships or reduced cost offerings.

For 2017- 2018 the Mission Investment Fund will provide professional development worth over $100,000 and will be supporting:

• Partial scholarships for VT-HEC’s Pathway to Licensing Programs including Early Childhood, Early Childhood Special Education and Special Education.  These scholarships will be available to students that have no other financial support for professional development.
• Lowered costs for the Connecting the Dots series of workshops & course focused on Birth to Three and Pre-School children.
• Lowered costs for Registered Behavior Technician training for paraprofessionals and others desiring this content.
• Development of new learning opportunities in the area of Trauma & Anxiety.
• Revision of the VT-HEC Autism Certificate course sequence.
• Partial scholarships for VT-HEC workshops. These scholarships will be available to participants that have no other support for professional development.
• Provision of professional development to VT-HEC’s instructors, presenters and staff.

You Can Help….  Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to help us expand the impact of the VT-HEC Mission Investment Fund so that we can offer support for increased participation in our offerings and develop new programs to meet the most critical professional learning needs in education in Vermont.

The VT-HEC continues to focus on supporting educators and administrators who work with students with disabilities and/or have other challenges to their learning and success.  Whether it is developing programs for specific students or building the capacity of your MTSS, the VT-HEC is developing a multi-year array of learning opportunities and supports to help you move forward in a consistent manner.

Getting Ready to Learn Series: Make and Take WORKshop Series One of our most successful series for a reason. It is focused on creating materials to meet the specific needs of young students with significant learning challenges including Autism and developmental disabilities. Participants will leave with an arm-load of learning materials tailored to the needs of their kids with the greatest challenges and tips on how best to use them. This year we have added the option of earning credit focused on implementation of these concepts and materials. Led by Patty Piotrowski and Chris Knippenberg (OTR) in So. Burlington, VT (2/2, 3/13, 4/10)

Registered Behavior Technician Training based on the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). The training is designed for paraprofessionals, and others desiring these competencies, working in education, mental health and related fields. It will be offered as a 40 hour training experience that will provide an excellent foundation of the knowledge and skills needed to implement behavior and education intervention plans. Led by BCBAs Candace Fugazy and Joanna Hull in
Colchester, VT ~ Six dates (3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 4/7, 4/14, 5/5)

A Systematic Approach to Teaching Socialization and Play for Young Learners – Learning to interact with peers is one of the most important skills a child can learn and for some it doesn’t come easily. Chris will help particiants develop and plan for those students in a way that will benefit all kids. With Chris Knippenberg in Burlington, VT (5/4)

Special Education: Approaches to Case Management with an Eye to Recent Cases and Legal Requirements with Heather T. Lynn Esq. in S. Burlington (2/8) Heather will share the practical implications of recent court decisions and current regulations on the special education process, IEP development, etc. and how you can navigate the often- confusing legal waters of special education to avoid danger zones, resolve conflict and stay on a safe and productive course.

Connecting the Dots: Using Best Practices to Support Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families in Montpelier, VT ~ Three more workshop dates (2/9, 3/23, 5/3) Supporting young children and their families is one of the most important things we can do for Vermont’s future.  Next up is Jayne Singer from Boston Children’s Hospital and then Dee Smith from UVM. Don’t miss these experts as they explore the most effective practices and research findings.

MTSS Ground Level Systems Planning: What does effective, daily implementation look like? K-6 with Jen Patenaude in Rutland, VT (4/4 & 4/5) Do you need to make changes to your MTSS structure and systems in order to more effectively implement multi-tiered programming designed to serve all students? If so, this intensive two-day workshop is the perfect time to plan for the next school year. Strategies and suggestions shared are drawn from the collective experience of schools from across Vermont that are well underway with implementing MTSS. Jen is the perfect person to lead your team to assess your needs and design the changes your system should put in place for next year.

Proficiency-Based, Personalized-Learning within an MTSS System: What does effective, daily implementation look like?  7-12 with Jen Patenaude in Rutland, VT ~ A two day offering (5/8 & 5/9) A middle/high school version of the above offering taking into account efforts toward personalization and proficiency-based learning in the complex 7-12 setting.

Go to vthec.org for more information and registration

Based on the Competencies for the RBT Credential of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board

The VT-HEC will again offer a training based on the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).  The training is designed for paraprofessionals, and others desiring these competencies, working in education, mental health and related fields.

This training will provide an excellent foundation of the knowledge and skills needed to implement behavior and education intervention plans. The course is designed to give paraprofessionals the background and basic skills necessary to implement a plan designed by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) or appropriately trained behavior specialist or professional educator.

This offering will meet the RBT training requirements and will cover the competencies set by the BACB. The training will be offered over 6 meetings (3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 4/7, 4/14, 5/5) by fully certified BCBAs. Additional supervision and successful completion of the RBT exam is required to be officially awarded the RBT credential through the BACB.

https://www.vthec.org/wp-content/uploads/Flyer-RBT-v.1.pdf

VT-HEC has a full schedule of learning opportunities planned for the spring covering a variety of topics within the general education area including the practical use of learning scales, gender diversity, using technology in early elementary grades and a series on where proficiency & personalization is working in Vermont. We welcome some of VT-HEC favorites such as Jen Patenaude and Bill Rich as well as some new presenters that we are very excited about including Paul Foxman on anxiety in the classroom and Joelle van Lent and Gillian Boudreau on trauma and resilience. In short, there is something for just about everyone.

Creating Gender-Affirming School Environments: What Leaders Need to Know and Do in S. Burlington, VT (2/15) Experts from Outright VT will help leaders and their teams understand gender-related issues, the challenges, legal implications and, most importantly, what you can do to create a system-wide environment accepting of all kids.

Where is it Working? Studying VT-Made Models of Student-Centered, Proficiency-Based Learning in Action with Bill Rich in Montpelier, VT ~ Two more workshop dates (3/22, 5/15) presenting real examples from VT schools that are working hard to implement the ideals of personalization and proficiency-based instruction.

The Why, What, and How of Taking a Brain-Based Approach to Student-Centered, Proficiency-Based Learning with Bill Rich in Killington, VT ~ Two more WORKshops covering performance assessment and how to put it all together in your classroom and school (3/7, 5/11)

It Came from Outer Space: Integrating Technology and Writing Across the K-3 Curriculum with Arlyn Bruccoli and Jennifer Fitch in Montpelier, VT (3/9) The title says it all…. Arlyn, a library/media specialist, and Jennifer, an accomplished classroom teacher, will show you how. They will have you practicing with the tools they use working together using technology to help younger students express their ideas and reactions about science, social studies, literature, etc.

Creating a Gender Inclusive Classroom with Lisa Estivill in Montpelier, VT (4/5) How to move past basic understanding of gender diversity to reviewing examples of classroom resources and strategizing how to implement gender inclusive language, curriculum and group expectations in your own classroom.

Fostering Resilient Learners: Creating Trauma Sensitive School Communities, with Joelle van Lent, Psy.D, and Gillian Boudreau, Ph.D., in Montpelier, VT ~ Four workshop days (1/18, 2/16, 3/16, 4/12) and an additional date (5/17) for 3-credit graduate course. From the basics on the impact of trauma on kids’ ability to form relationships to utilizing mindfulness and other strategies to build their resilience, these workshops and course will put you and your school on track to support students dealing with or recovering from trauma.  Joelle and Gillian form a dynamic team with complimentary expertise and experience.

Managing Anxiety in the Classroom, with Paul Foxman, Ph.D., in Montpelier, VT (1/26) Daily headlines seem to bring more sources of anxiety that are difficult enough for adults to deal with but are putting more and more kids in the situation of trying to deal with chronic anxiety without the supports or tools to help. Paul will help you recognize the symptoms and develop strategies to help your students cope and succeed.

MTSS Ground Level Systems Planning: What does effective, daily implementation look like? (K-6) with Jen Patenaude in Rutland, VT (4/4 & 4/5) Do you need to make changes to your MTSS structure and systems in order to more effectively implement multi-tiered programming designed to serve all students? If so, this intensive two-day workshop is the perfect time to plan with your team for the next school year. Strategies and suggestions are drawn from the collective experience of schools from across Vermont that are well underway with implementing MTSS. Jen is the perfect person to lead your team to assess your needs and design the changes your system should put in place for next year.

Proficiency-Based, Personalized-Learning within an MTSS System: What does effective, daily implementation look like? (7-12) with Jen Patenaude in Rutland, VT ~ A two day offering (5/8 & 5/9) A middle/high school version of the above offering taking into account the efforts toward personalization and proficiency-based learning.

Check out our other series for offerings that may also address your interests and needs including: Special Education and Early Childhood – Grade 3

 VT-HEC WORKshops are learning opportunities that are planned to have participants practicing, applying and tailoring the concepts, skills and models that are being shared for much of the day and often include a course option to support implementation in your own setting.

VT-HEC has a full slate of offerings planned for the spring covering topics ranging from the practical use of learning scales to a series of “Make & Take” WORKshops focused on young students with developmental disabilities.  We welcome some of VT-HEC favorites such as Jen Patenaude, Chris Knippenberg and Bill Rich as well as some new folks that we are very excited about including, Heather Lynn on Special Education law, Paul Foxman on anxiety in the classroom and Jayne Singer from Boston Children’s Hospital.  In short, there is something for just about everyone.

Our spring offerings that most relate to young children through grade 3 include:

Connecting the Dots: Using Best Practices to Support Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families in Montpelier, VT ~ Three more workshop dates (2/9, 3/23, 5/3) Supporting young children and their families is one of the most important things we can do for Vermont’s future.  Next up is Jayne Singer from Boston Children’s Hospital and then Dee Smith from UVM. Don’t miss these experts as they explore the most effective practices and research findings.

Getting Ready to Learn Series: Three Make and Take WORKshops with Patty Piotrowski and Chris Knippenberg in So. Burlington, VT (2/2, 3/13, 4/10) – One of our most successful WORKshop series for a reason. It is focused on creating materials to meet the specific needs of young students with learning challenges. You will leave with an arm-load of learning materials tailored to support your toughest kids and tips on how best to use them. This year we have added the option of earning credit focused on implementation of these concepts and materials.

It Came from Outer Space: Integrating Technology and Writing Across the K-3 Curriculum with Arlyn Bruccoli and Jennifer Fitch in Montpelier, VT (3/9) The title says it all…. Arlyn, a library/media specialist, and Jennifer, an accomplished classroom teacher, will show you how. They will have you practicing with the tools they use working together using technology to help younger students express their ideas and reactions about science, social studies, literature, etc.

A Systematic Approach to Teaching Socialization and Play for Young Learners with Chris Knippenberg in Burlington, VT (5/4) Learning to interact with peers is one of the most important skills a child can learn and for some it doesn’t come easily. Chris will help you develop and plan for those students in a way that will benefit all kids.

Fostering Resilient Learners: Creating Trauma Sensitive School Communities, with Joelle van Lent, Psy.D, and Gillian Boudreau, Ph.D., in Montpelier, VT ~ Four workshop days (1/18, 2/16, 3/16, 4/12) and an additional date (5/17) for 3-credit graduate course. From the basics on the impact of trauma on kids’ ability to form relationships to utilizing mindfulness and other strategies to build their resilience, these workshops and course will put you and your school on track to support students dealing with or recovering from trauma.  Joelle and Gillian form a dynamic team with complimentary expertise and experience.

Managing Anxiety in the Classroom, with Paul Foxman, Ph.D., in Montpelier, VT (1/26) Daily headlines seem to bring more sources of anxiety that are difficult enough for adults to deal with but are putting more and more kids in the situation of trying to deal with chronic anxiety without the supports or tools to help. Paul will help you recognize the symptoms and develop strategies to help your students cope and succeed.

Special Education: Suggested Approaches to Case Management with an Eye to Recent Cases and Legal Requirements with Heather T. Lynn Esq. in S. Burlington (2/8) Heather will share the practical implications of recent court decisions and current regulations and how you can navigate the often- confusing legal waters of special education to avoid the danger zones, resolve conflict and stay on a safe and productive course.

MTSS Ground Level Systems Planning: What does effective, daily implementation look like? (K-6) with Jen Patenaude in Rutland, VT ~ Two workshop dates (4/4 & 4/5) Do you need to make changes to your MTSS structure and systems in order to more effectively implement multi-tiered programming designed to serve all students? If so, this intensive two-day workshop is the perfect time to plan for the next school year. Strategies and suggestions shared are drawn from the collective experience of schools across Vermont that are well underway with MTSS. Jen is the perfect person to lead your team to assess and design the changes your system needs for next year.

Check out our other series for offerings that may also address your interests and needs including: Special Education; Trauma, Resilience & Anxiety; Gender and where Proficiencies & Personalization are really working in VT.

VT-HEC WORKshops are learning opportunities that are planned to have participants practicing, applying and tailoring the concepts, skills and models that are being shared for much of the day and often include a course option to support implementation in your own setting.