Presenter: Benton Dorman, Jill Kotapski & Karla Lasota
Time: 1:00 -3:30pm
Grades: All Grades
Max # participants: 100
Location: Glacier View Secondary
“Empowering Excellence: Supporting Students Through School Avoidance with Compassion and Connection”
By focusing on the innate strengths and potential within both students and educators to overcome school refusal, we will equip teachers with strategies to support students experiencing school refusal, the power of empathy, reflection, and collaboration to create inclusive, resilient learning environments within their own classrooms.
Description of Session
This presentation provides an essential overview of school avoidance, a growing concern impacting students’ academic and social development. Designed for teachers and school-based teams, the session explores the root causes of school avoidance, including anxiety, family dynamics, and systemic barriers.
Participants will gain actionable insights into a multi-tiered intervention system designed to support students at varying levels of need. Practical strategies and interventions will be shared, empowering educators to foster student re-engagement and build inclusive, supportive environments. Attendees will leave equipped with a clear plan to implement a tiered framework within their schools, enhancing their capacity to address school avoidance effectively.
Short Bio/Description
Dr. Dorman has over 25 years of experience in education including being a school psychologist, an assistant director of special education, a principal, and a superintendent in the US. He is new to Canada and is passionate about school attendance.
Jill and Karla are school counsellors who have worked in the district for over 20 years. As District Outreach Counsellors their role is to support students who are not attending school regularly and create plans for re-entry to school as well as provide support and resources for other concerns they may be struggling with.
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February 18, 2025
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm