EDC's Richard Fournier and Lauren Gilman will present at the 2023 SEL Exchange hosted by CASEL in Atlanta, Georgia.
Connect with EDC at the 2023 SEL Exchange
Book a free 30-minute consultation with Richard Fournier by clicking the link below.
About the Conference
The 2023 SEL Exchange is an invitation to attend in the true spirit of adult SEL—as learners—and dive deep into adult skills development, wellness strategies, cultural competence, and more. Find nearly 300 sessions specifically designed for educators, district and school leaders, caregivers, policymakers, researchers, out-of-school time providers, nonprofit leaders, and more.
Our Session
In this session, we will present the Massachusetts SEL and Mental Health Academy’s model for developing a comprehensive, multi-tiered system of support to build SEL skills, address mental health needs, and create a school community that promotes student and educator wellbeing. We will also discuss how the academy provides direct research support to the State Education Agency to support districts' efforts.
In this session, we will briefly describe the academy approach for supporting schools' and districts’ efforts to build or strengthen evidence-based and culturally responsive multi-tiered systems of SEL and mental health supports. We will then walk participants through several of the tools used in the academy to help schools and districts identify their strengths, gaps, and growth opportunities for creating a more cohesive MTSS approach to SEL and mental health. Through a series of interactive exercises (including small group activities and peer-sharing), participants will reflect on how their schools and/or districts can develop action plans that will guide them to a stronger system of supports. We will end the session by presenting a few case studies from the academy.
After the session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the components of a comprehensive process for planning, implementing, and sustaining a multi-tiered system of supports for SEL and mental health in their schools and districts.
- Identify strengths, gaps, and growth opportunities in their own school or district to support students’ social and emotional wellbeing through the MTSS lens
- Identify 2-3 concrete action steps they can take in their schools and/or districts to strengthen their approach to SEL and mental health supports.
Resources
Richard Fournier, partnership director of EDC Solutions, is experienced in SEL and mental health and a licensed superintendent, former teacher, and researcher.
Lauren Gilman, a highly skilled technical assistance specialist and experienced program manager, has extensive knowledge of mental health promotion, behavioral health, school-based initiatives, substance misuse prevention, youth violence prevention, cultural responsiveness, and mentoring.