November 18, 2020 (Virtual) Safe & Healthy School Summit

     Nov. 18 (virtual)  8th Annual Safe &Healthy School Summit

This year's Safe & Healthy School Summit, the 8th annual, will address mental health supports in primary and secondary schools to address chronic stress, anxiety and other issues facing students in these and other times. 

Rescheduled from last spring to Wednesday, Nov. 18  from 9 a.m. - noon on Zoom, the (virtual) Summit is presented by the Office of the Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan, and co-sponsored by the Collaborative for Educational Services, SPIFFY and Communities that Care coalitions, and the Quaboag Hills Substance Use Alliance.

School administrators, superintendents, assistant superintendents, building principals, assistant principals, pupil services directors, teachers, para-educators, nurses, counselors, and school resource officers are expected to attend the free event.

"This year’s Safe and Healthy School Summit addresses the mental health challenges of youth and the need to build resilience among young people and the community, " said Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan, who will give welcoming remarks. 

Megan Harding, the keynote speaker, will present on "ALL means ALL: Designing schools to meet the mental health needs of all students."

Harding is Senior Lecturer and Chair of the Policy Sequence at the Smith College School for Social Work and Family Engagement Specialist for the BRYT Network (a program of the Brookline Center for Mental Health) comprised of clinicians, teachers, parents, and students working together to strengthen mental health programming in schools. She is the former Director of Social Emotional Learning for Holyoke Public Schools.

The conference agenda includes other speakers (see attached program), breakout workshops, presentation and discussion about local teen mental health data, a promising practices panel and more.

Clinicians with Center for Community Resilience after Trauma, which provides community support in the aftermath of traumatic events will present about trauma and the development of self- and community-care plans.

Local educators will talk about initiatives funded by state Department of Education for mental health supports.

A panel will discuss promising initiatives underway in local schools to bolster students mental health and increase connectedness in school.