ISBE School Wellness Conference: Full Schedule

10:45am CDT

The benefits of Being a Trauma Informed School and Why it's Important. A Principal's Story.

Tuesday April 8, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

During the breakout session Jeff will share Stanton School's story of being a targeted school due to chronic absenteeism to earning a commendable status in just one year. This year, with Jeff at the helm, Stanton School received its second consecutive commendable rating because of the committed work he and his staff did and continue to do as a trauma informed school. Jeff will share how his staff, including the bus drivers, became certified trauma informed specialists, how to improve daily rountines and practices by being resilience focused, and how changing the mindset from punitive to "Opportunities to Be Better" have impacted the student's behavior and social emotional growth. Stanton School's growth is validated by the data through significant improvements in student behaviors and daily attendance.

Speakers

Jeff Sefcik

Principal, Fox Lake Grade School District 114 / Lake County / Stanton School

Thirty-three years ago, Jeff began his career as a high school teacher and baseball coach at Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison, Illinois. During his ten years at Driscoll, he taught History and coached Varsity Baseball earning an impressive career record of 251 wins and 102... Read More →

Tuesday April 8, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Jesse Fell Room B

1:15pm CDT

Cultivating Connection: Transforming Classrooms Into Communities of Belonging

Tuesday April 8, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

Jesse Fell Room B

Belonging is the bedrock of a thriving classroom, where students feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. This session explores strategies to cultivate authentic, meaningful connections that build trust, empathy, and resilience—especially for students navigating the challenges of trauma and adversity.
Grounded in Transformative Social-Emotional Learning (tSEL), trauma-informed practices, and healing-centered engagement, participants will discover actionable ways to create emotionally safe and inclusive environments. Educators will learn how to dismantle barriers to belonging, prioritize mental health, and foster culturally responsive spaces that celebrate diversity and nurture resilience.
Through practical tools and proven strategies, this session equips educators to inspire student engagement, strengthen relationships, and create classrooms where every learner is empowered to heal, grow, and thrive both academically and emotionally.

Speakers

Doctora Alexandra Escobar

Equity Consultant/Researcher, Affirming Voices

Doctora Alexandra Escobar is a Latine social justice and equity leader, passionately committed to advancing educators’ racial and socio-cultural consciousness to better serve students and their families. With a career deeply rooted in achieving educational equity and racial justice... Read More →

Tuesday April 8, 2025 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
Jesse Fell Room B

2:30pm CDT

School Social Workers, Psychs, and Counselors as Consultants within the School

Tuesday April 8, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CDT

Jesse Fell Room B

Learn how to maximize your consulting potential as a school social worker, psychologist, or counselor in the school, or how to consult with them as a teacher or administrator. Their unique, clinical expertise offers out-of-the-box brainstorming for difficult behavioral challenges in the classroom or other school settings. Whether the intervention needed is simply a conversation about a student, call home to a parent together, or a Tier 2 or 3 intervention, their input offers relief to the academic team member. After hearing a few successful case examples, attendees will offer currently challenging situations and brainstorm solutions to bring back to their schools with a procedural model to own and make their own with their respective home school teams. The Triple A (AAA) Model will be applied: Awareness, Assessment, & Apply.

Speakers

Erik Engel, LCSW

School Social Worker, DuPage High School District 88--Willowbrook High School

Erik Engel, LCSW, is currently a veteran school social worker of over 25 years, having worked in a variety of settings from residential to alternative to public high school. He cofounded a program within his current high school for students who are diagnosed with anxiety and depression... Read More →

Tuesday April 8, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CDT
Jesse Fell Room B

9:45am CDT

Suicide Prevention: Best Practices for Schools

Wednesday April 9, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am CDT

Jesse Fell Room B

In the United States, suicide is the 2nd leasing cause of death for teens and adolescents. Because kids spend a large amount of time within our school settings, we have a responsibility to serve as the first line of defense in preventing loss of life due to suicide. In this session, best practices for suicide prevention will be discussed through a multi-tiered approach. Speaking through the lens of a unique and effective role as a suicide prevention specialist social worker within the building and district, the presenter will cover the topics of suicidality, risk screening and assessment, risk-related decision making, legal precedent, and tips for feasible prevention practices in order to increase your understanding of suicide and what practical changes can be made within your buildings and/or direct work with students to improve student safety and wellness.

Speakers

Kameron Cluchey, LCSW

Student Support Specialist/ Pediatric Clinical Therapist, St. Charles School District 303

Wednesday April 9, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am CDT
Jesse Fell Room B

11:00am CDT

Healing Through Language: Trauma-Informed Practices for Multilingual Learners

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Jesse Fell Room B

Multilingual learners (MLLs) often bring rich cultural experiences to the classroom but may also carry the weight of trauma, whether from migration, displacement, or other life experiences. This breakout session equips educators and school staff with trauma-informed strategies specifically tailored to the unique needs of MLLs. Participants will explore how to create safe, supportive, and inclusive environments that promote healing and learning for students navigating the dual challenges of trauma and language acquisition.

Speakers

Terri Easter

Assistant Professor of Education, Rockford University

Dr. Terri Easter is an Assistant Professor of Education at Rockford University and the Director of ESL/Bilingual Studies. With over a decade of experience teaching English learners, including in Title I schools and internationally, she brings a global perspective to creating equitable... Read More →

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Jesse Fell Room B

ISBE School Wellness Conference

From $10.00