PAIS Student Support Conference Workshop Sessions
Participants will select a first and second choice workshop for each session when registering.

SESSION ONE WORKSHOP OPTIONS:

1) What Does a Neurodiverse Brain Teach Us About Learning? (Track: Academic Support)
To implement the “how” of teaching, one must first understand the “why” of learning. When the word neurodiversity is used in conversations about how some students learn differently from others, it is often met with the casual dismissal that we all learn differently. While that statement might be true in a general way, it misses the point: a learning difference is more than having a different learning style. A clinical learning difference involves a different brain architecture – a different neurological wiring that literally results in a different way of seeing the world. Statistics indicate that one in five children in the United States is dyslexic. It is therefore likely that close to 20% of students in a typical classroom will be dyslexic. In studying the dyslexic brain, researchers have provided not only insight into how all brains learn to read and process language, they have revealed that every teacher is effectively re-wiring the brains of every student. This workshop will explore current research on dyslexia as a starting point to understand neurodiversity and will conclude with an exploration of practical ways to use what science tells us about learning and the brain to help teachers reach and support all learners.
Audience: Everyone!

Speaker:
Chantra Reinman, Head of Middle School, The Shipley School
Chantra Reinman is Head of Middle School at The Shipley School. Her 27-year career in education began at The Lewis School of Princeton, a school that educates students with language-based learning differences. She trained directly under Marsha Lewis, the school’s founder. Chantra brought her unique insights and approaches to prestigious international schools in Indonesia, Ghana, and Zambia, where, as teacher and administrator, she worked with mainstream students within the rigorous International Baccalaureate framework. She discovered that understanding diversity in language processing was beneficial in helping teachers reach all students, regardless of their learning needs.

2) Student Support Teams: Supportive Strategies and Team Reflection (Track: Academic Support)
A Student Support Team is an important structure in schools to identify students with needs, monitor students undergoing intervention, and analyze outcome data. This presentation will discuss supportive strategies for forming a team, aligning the team's work with the school's mission, and collecting and analyzing data. Participants will also learn about leading a team through a self-evaluation process in order to process past interventions and make recommendations for prevention strategies. This session could be on either track: Academic Support or Social and Emotional Support.
Audience: Heads of School/Assistant and Associate Heads of School, School Counselors and Psychologists, Learning Support staff, Deans of Students, Division Directors

Speakers:
Fran de la Torre-Shu, Upper School Learning Specialist, Westtown School
Fran de la Torre-Shu is one of two Upper School Learning Specialists at the Westtown School, a boarding and day school, with approximately 360 students in the Upper School. She works with students who have identified learning needs as well as the general student population. Her areas of certification include English as a Second Language, Special Education and Reading Specialist. She supports students in accessing accommodations and curricular content, as well as organizational and study skills and coordinating the peer tutoring program. Previously, Fran was an Upper School Learning Specialist at Academy of Notre Dame.

Susan Srogota, School Counselor, Gwynedd-Mercy Academy Elementary
Susan Srogota is the School Counselor at Gwynedd-Mercy Academy Elementary School, a K-8 school with 375 students. She supports students through individual counseling, classroom lessons, small groups, and parent consultation. She supports students in developing friendships, organizational and study skills, stress and anxiety management, conflict resolution, and family concerns. Previously, Susan was an Upper School Counselor at Academy of Notre Dame with a caseload of two classes, or approximately 200 students.

3) Developing a Values-Based Student Support System Using a Shared Leadership Model (Track: Social Emotional Support)
The dynamic nature of meeting individual student needs requires flexibility, creative problem solving, and collaboration. Join our team of educators and specialists as we share our journey of systematizing our school’s well-known approach to supporting students at all learning levels. Our presentation will focus upon the process of establishing a shared leadership model, the importance of grounding the work in the mission and core values of our organization, and how this work can provide a scaffold for faculty growth and development. With more than 100 years of combined experience, our presentation team will share our model from various perspectives and backgrounds. A veteran teacher, program specialist, learning specialist, school counselor, and division head will each provide their connection to the team’s hub of values-based student support. The presentation will highlight the value of a community approach to student support and the benefits of activating, training, and supporting skilled adults in school communities.
Audience: Everyone!

Speakers:
Carole Patterson, SEL Coordinator, Advisor, Teacher
Carole Paterson, a biology graduate of St. Lawrence University, began her teaching career as an environmental educator and summer camp director in the Catskills of New York. She found great inspiration in the outdoors and practical application of complex topics through outdoor pursuits and exploration. Carole moved to Pennsylvania where land and water conservation took a front stage as she worked with local and regional organizations to address environmental challenges while simultaneously increasing public awareness and engagement around environmental concerns. Although the work was rewarding and successful, Carole felt drawn to the classroom. After earning her teaching degree and credentials from Saint Vincent College, she taught high school environmental science for seven years. When an opportunity arose to join the faculty of a local independent school, Carole chose to shift into a role teaching Kindergarten through 8th grade. For the past 10 years, Carole has translated her science knowledge and professional experiences into a curriculum that grows passionate science citizens prepared for learning in all facets of their lives. At Valley School, Carole also serves as the Coordinator of Values Based Programming. Most recently, Carole has begun graduate school work at Vanderbilt University to receive her Masters in Educational Leadership.

David Kirkland, Head of Upper School
David Kirkland has been an integral part of the Valley School community for 29 years. After earning his teaching degree from St. Vincent College, and his Masters in Secondary Education from Duquesne University, David inspired students in his math classroom. When the opportunity arose in 2014  to move into a leadership role, David transitioned into the division head role with ease and enthusiasm. While in that position, David has been involved in school and out of school in various leadership roles and educational-related endeavors. His passion for community and education extended into his tenure serving as the president of the Pittsburgh Area Independent School Teachers Association(PAISTA) from 2003 to 2014. David currently serves on the PAIS Advisory Council for Professional Development. David, his wife Cheryl, and his daughter Julia live in the Pittsburgh area. David is a member of the MTSS Leadership Team and participated in the work to iterate the core values program. 

Gail Hugo, First Grade Teacher, Teacher Mentor
Gail Hugo graduated from Seton Hill University with a degree in Psychology, Early Childhood, and Elementary Certification. She has taught several elementary grades in public schools in Pennsylvania and Virginia. She is currently in her 32nd year of teaching at Valley School of Ligonier where she enjoys the world of the first-grade learner. She has attended several “Learning and the Brain” Conferences and has brought the knowledge gained from these experiences to the Valley School community.  Current brain research, Executive Function, Core Values, and Responsibility Centered Discipline(RCD) are among the topics for which she is most passionate. She serves as the Director of Community Service for Lower School, was a founding member of its Core Value program, and is a member of the MTSS Leadership Team. 

Hannah Earhart, Learning Specialist
Hannah Earhart is a graduate of Saint Vincent College with teaching certifications in Middle Grades and Special Education. During her collegiate career, she became deeply devoted to the belief that every student is inherently unrepeatable and that each one, like seeds and sprouts, has different needs, grows at different times, and flourishes in different ways. Hannah worked closely with the Bearcat BEST Program at Saint Vincent, a transition program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and provided short-term special interest courses for local homeschooled students through the Saint Vincent Step-Up Program. A product of homeschooling herself, Hannah revels in the beauty of non-traditional settings for education and how they can individualize the learning experience for every student. She became the Learning Specialist for Valley School of Ligonier in 2018 through a fellowship program while simultaneously pursuing her Masters in Special Education, and found a community that aligns with her beliefs in nurturing the whole student. Now in her sixth year at Valley School, she is an integral community member as she collaborates with families, students, administrators, and faculty in creating and implementing individualized student supports. In addition to her Learning Specialist role, she also serves as a founding member of the MTSS Leadership Team which works to implement, monitor, and evaluate the tiers of student support at Valley School.

Terri Stewart, School Counselor
Terri Stewart served as a member of the United States Marine Corps before beginning her teaching career in 1999. After earning her teaching certification, she taught 5th-grade math, science, and social studies. Math became her specialty and she moved into teaching that subject to 7th and 8th graders. In 2009, Terri became a school counselor for Galveston Independent School District and also received her Master of Science from the University of Houston in 2010. She is a proud mom of two children and an even more proud grandparent to two beautiful grandchildren. Terri misses her Texas home but has loved her transition into the Northeast and into the independent school world. She joined the Valley School community in 2023 bringing new depth to her role as the school counselor. Terri is also a member of the MTSS Leadership team. 

Allie Arendas, Head of Lower School
Allie Arendas serves as the Lower School Division Head at Valley School of Ligonier and an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Education at St. Vincent College. She has a Master’s in Instructional Design and Technology Enhanced Learning. In her time in school administration, Allie has collaborated with PDE and many schools and districts to create and implement customized programs to meet the needs of diverse learners. Allie currently serves on the PAIS Commission for Accreditation. Allie’s 24 years of experience extend across various educational environments and age groups.

4) Beyond “Mean Girls”: Understanding Girls’ friendships and Conflicts (Track: Social Emotional Support)
"BFF's" and "frenemies." These terms have crept into the vocabulary of even our youngest girls, and educators are often confronted with the unique challenges of supporting girls' friendships. This presentation examines the nature of girls' play and interaction patterns; cliques, conflicts, and conflict resolution strategies; and the impact of media messaging and social media on girls' friendships. Rather than merely labeling girls as "mean," this workshop also celebrates the strengths girls' bring to their friendships and provides educators with the tools to help girls have healthy relationships, become more assertive, and learn positive conflict resolution strategies.
Audience: Heads of School/Assistant and Associate Heads of School, Lower School teachers and Division Directors, School Counselors and Psychologists, Learning Support staff

Speakers:
Catherine Mallam, Lower School Director of Student Support, The Shipley School
Catherine Mallam is the Lower School Director of Student Support at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, PA. She has over thirty years' experience as a school counselor, and her background includes the design and delivery of a K-5 school counseling program from its inception. Catherine speaks to educator and parent groups at independent and public schools in the Philadelphia area about children's friendships, executive functioning skills, and childhood anxiety. She is a certified trauma practitioner through the National Institute of Trauma and Loss in Children. Catherine earned her M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania and her B.A. in psychology from William Smith College.

5) You’re Not in Trouble, AND We Need to Talk (Track: Social Emotional Support)
Post-pandemic, we have noticed that students and their families have an increased sensitivity to feeling they are “in trouble,” and an intolerance for doing “the wrong thing.” Moving beyond helicopter or tiger status, we have observed a real desire to protect students from the valuable growth opportunities that are inherent in the process of making mistakes. This session will explore some of the factors that led us to this particular social and emotional moment and will explore ways that we are working at our school to cultivate resilience in our students. We will share long-term and short-term strategies for helping our kids and families to tolerate discomfort and to become error-approaching rather than error-avoiding. From our perspectives as Lower School Psychologist and Upper School Dean of Students, we will address the differences in developmental stages and the importance of a consistent framework across the school. This session will have access points for faculty and administrators across the span of school age. By fostering an increased tolerance for the discomfort that comes with this growth-oriented process, we strive to bolster long term wellbeing and prosocial health.
Audience: Lower School teachers and Division Directors, Middle School teachers, advisors, and Division Directors, Upper School teachers, advisors, and Division Directors, School Counselors and Psychologists, Deans of Students

Speakers:
Jessica Douglass, Interim Dean of Students, Health and Wellness Teacher (Upper School), Tower Hill School
Jessica earned a BA in philosophy from Haverford College. Her master's degree in social service is from Bryn Mawr College, where Jessica focused in clinical and school social work. Before landing in education, Jessica worked as an individual and family therapist. Currently, Jessica serves as Interim Dean of Students at Tower Hill School, and teaches social science electives and 10th grade Health and Decision Making. Jessica is currently completing her doctorate in education from the University of Virginia with a focus in social and emotional learning. Her research centers on student voice, community building, and restorative practices.

Amy Cuddy, Tower Lower School Psychologist, Tower Hill School
Amy R. Cuddy earned a B.A. in Psychology from Franklin & Marshall College and a doctorate in Clinical Developmental Child Psychology from Bryn Mawr College. Amy trained at the Child Guidance Center of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and brings a structural and systemic perspective to her work. In her current role as Lower School Psychologist, she collaborates with community members around issues of growth, learning, and wellbeing. Whether collaborating with students to bolster their academic and emotional success, parents to impart developmental information, or faculty to implement Wellness content, Amy strives to foster authentic relationships and strong family-school connections.

SESSION TWO WORKSHOP OPTIONS:

1) Everlasting, Ever-Compassionate and Evidence-Based: The Chronic Nature of ADHD and the Case for Ongoing Support (Track: Academic Support)
ADHD affects over 10% of students in our schools and is often one of the most frustrating learning differences for teachers to navigate. In fact, about half of the children with ADHD have a behavior or conduct problem, according to the CDC. This presentation will offer educators a helpful framework for conceptualizing ADHD and a path forward for supporting students in their classrooms, cafeterias, sports fields, and club spaces. As opposed to the scaffolding model used in common pedagogy, using the “prosthesis model,” participants will come to see ADHD as a chronic, around-the-clock diagnosis that requires persistent support that does not go away. The presentation will explore the curated environment needed for success, as well as the behavioral modifications and feedback loops that teachers can employ to optimize learning for their students with ADHD.
Audience: Everyone!

Speakers:
Alli Williams, HOS, The Pilot School
Alli Williams is the Head of School at The Pilot School, a K-8 independent school for students with language based learning differences. Dr. Williams' entire career has been spent in the independent/LD education space, where she has devoted particular energy toward direct research application in the classroom. Dr. Williams holds a Master's degree in Secondary Education from the University of Arizona and a doctorate in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Johns Hopkins University.

Paula Higgins, School Psychologist, The Pilot School
Paula Higgins is the School Psychologist at The Pilot School, a K-8 independent school for students with language-based learning differences. Ms. Higgins has over 25 years of experience working with students with learning differences, from Preschool to Highschool, in both the independent and public school systems. Ms. Higgins is a Certified School Psychologist with a Masters degree in Education from CUNY Queens College.

2) The Learning Trajectory – from Surface to Deep to Transfer (Track: Academic Support)
How do human beings take in, embody, and utilize new information and ideas? In this session, we will explore the complete human learning process. Using Learning Objectives as a through line, we will consider how to walk students from shallow learning into deep learning. Furthermore, we will take a closer look at transfer and consider common obstacles to this final stage of learning.
Specific Topics Explored:
- What is surface learning, and why is this step essential?
- What specific teaching and learning strategies align with surface learning?
- What are the three levels of deep learning?
- What specific teaching and learning strategies align with each level of deep learning?
- What are the three most common obstacles to transfer within schools?
Audience: Everyone!

Speaker:
Jared Cooney Horvath, Keynote
Jared Cooney Horvath (PhD, MEd) is a neuroscientist, educator, and author of the best-selling book Stop Talking, Start Influencing: 12 Insights from Brain Science to Make Your Message Stick.  He has conducted research and lectured at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, the University of Melbourne, and over 750 schools internationally.  He currently serves as Director of LME Global: a team dedicated to bringing the latest brain and behavioral research to teachers, students, and parents alike.

3) Academic Support for ALL Students: A Stigma-Free Approach (Track: Academic Support)
The Student Resource Center (SRC) at SCH was developed with one overarching goal in mind: building a culture of goal-setting and support-seeking among ALL students. Through a two-tiered approach of assigned support and a drop-in program, the SRC has transformed the student culture of our school, and the results have been heartening. At last check, over 70% of students in the Upper School access the drop-in supports of the SRC during any given year, and students are requesting to either enter or remain in the assigned support program.

This workshop will discuss intentional design and programmatic choices your organization can make to destigmatize academic/learning support, programming choices that maximize staff, administration, student, and parent buy-in, and ways to design the physical environment to support academic and emotional wellness. If your school is considering launching, reorganizing, or extending your academic learning support program, this interactive workshop will help you to refine your own plans and share ideas with support colleagues from other independent schools in the area.
Audience: Heads of School/Assistant and Associate Heads of School, Upper School teachers, advisors, and Division Directors, School Counselors and Psychologists, Learning Support staff, Deans of Students, Curriculum Coordinators and Department Chairs

Speaker:
Liz O’Flanagan, Coordinator of the US Student Resource Center, US English Teacher, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Liz O’Flanagan (BA in English and Spanish from The University of Pennsylvania, MA in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education) has worked in public, private, and international schools for the last 25 years. For the last 15 years, she has worked at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy as an English teacher. Six years ago, she proposed the development of a comprehensive student support center that would serve the Upper School at SCH. Through extensive research, visits to existing support centers, and much trial and error, Liz spearheaded the creation of the Student Resource Center at SCH.

4) Charting the Course for Belonging: Relationship Mapping in the Middle School (Track: Social Emotional Support)
Did you know that having at least one close adult at school is a leading protective factor when it comes to suicide prevention among young people? When we learned about how powerful that single relationship could be, we were determined to make sure that no future student at LCDS would slip through the proverbial cracks. In response, we developed a simple but effective system for surveying students and documenting relationships, as well as other important information, over their years in middle school and beyond. At this session, we'll share our comprehensive strategy, refined over several years, for soliciting and mapping student feedback on belonging and relationships within the school community. Participants will leave with practical, turnkey tools (via templates in Google Forms and Sheets) for implementation in their own schools.
Audience: Heads of School/Assistant and Associate Heads of School, Middle School teachers, advisors, and Division Directors, Upper School teachers, advisors, and Division Directors, School Counselors and Psychologists, Learning Support staff, Deans of Students

Speakers:
Meg Reed, Head of Middle School and Assistant Head of School
Meg Reed is Head of Middle School and Assistant Head of School at Lancaster Country Day School. She spent the first 10 years of her career teaching in public schools in New York City and Washington, DC. In 2011, she relocated to her hometown where she entered the world of independent schools as a fifth grade teacher and founding director of the Horizons at LCDS program, which she led from 2013-2021. Today she is the world’s luckiest school administrator with a passion for student belonging and mental health. Meg earned Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Spanish from Penn State, an MSEd. from The City College of New York, and a graduate certificate in Strategic Leadership from UPenn. She is a super fan of all Penn State sports, and she and her husband are proud dog parents of three incorrigible mutts, Abe, Cody, and Sheldon.

Jacqueline Smith, MS Counselor
Jacqueline Smith is a school counselor working with Lancaster Country Day School’s middle school population. What began as a two year teaching commitment in Houston, Texas has resulted in nearly two decades of service in education. Her experience ranges from teaching bilingual kindergarten to working with undergraduate students in several financial aid offices as well as coordinating field placements for students for different education programs. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish from Bates College and a Master’s in Counseling from PennWest - Edinboro (formerly Edinboro University). Her professional interests include integrating counseling techniques into teaching practices and identifying ways to connect with students from all backgrounds. Outside of the professional world, Jacqueline is a parent to a second grader, a cat, and kindly asks that you not bother her while she’s watching any rugby match.

5) Elevating Student Wellness Using Experiences of Awe (Track: Social Emotional Support)
As students’ SEL needs become more demanding and increasingly complex, the emotion of awe offers an antidote to adolescent feelings of anxiety, depression, cynicism, and even narcissism. Using the framework, the “eight wonders of life” as outlined by psychology professor Dacher Keltner that include, but are not limited to, moral beauty, nature and collective effervescence, schools should consider ways to incorporate awe into various activities to improve student engagement and well-being. This workshop will identify the categories of experience that awe can be experienced therein and discuss ways schools can implement these opportunities into their academic and extracurricular programs.
Audience: Heads of School/Assistant and Associate Heads of School, Middle School teachers, advisors, and Division Directors, Upper School teachers, advisors, and Division Directors, School Counselors and Psychologists, Deans of Students, Curriculum Coordinators and Department Chairs

Speakers:
Jeff Laughead, Director of Student Development for the US, Woodlynde School
Jeff Laughead is the Director of Student Development in the Upper School at Woodlynde School. Woodlynde School supports students with learning differences to become self-advocates and strategic thinkers. He earned his undergraduate degree in Secondary Education from Temple University and a Master of Fine Arts from Goddard College. In addition to his role, he also teachers English, coaches cross country and archery, and has chaperoned student trips to the Grand Canyon, Scotland, and the Canadian Rockies.

Taylor Hicks, Social Emotional Learning Specialist, Woodlynde School
Taylor Hicks is the Social Emotional Learning Specialist at the Woodlynde School. She serves Woodlynde in a variety of ways; she teaches SEL courses for K-12th grade, runs 1:1 and small group social skills instruction with students, co-runs an SEL Professional Learning Community for colleagues and provides overall SEL support, instruction and strategies to both students and staff at Woodlynde. Apart from being an educator at Woodlynde, Taylor also presents and facilitates Social and Emotional Learning Professional Development to school districts across PA through Thom Stecher and Associates.