Wellness Together's 8th Annual Student Mental Wellness Conference: Full Schedule

4:00pm PDT

Peer Mentoring Powers Up Community and School Wellness

Wednesday October 9, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Team Stronger 2gether unites diverse community sectors—students, educators, families, businesses, and more—to foster community wellness through peer mentoring. This presentation explores how conflict resolution and four life skills (productive stress response, gratitude, catching negativity, physical health) empowers friend groups and communities. Participants will gain practical tools, including strategies for creating peer mentoring programs, a Community Wellness Project template, three course outlines, interactive lessons, health pamphlets, and conflict resolution strategies/curriculum.

Speakers

Michael Gray

Wednesday October 9, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
209A

Student and Community Mental Health

8:30am PDT

Bridging Substance Use Prevention and Student Mental Health

Thursday October 10, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am PDT

209A

Addressing youth substance use must include a holistic analysis of mental health supports across a school's tiered programs and services. Join us to explore how educators can integrate substance use prevention and mental health across Tier 1 universal supports, as well as Tier 2 and 3 intervention services.

Participants will identify recommendations and resources for substance use prevention education that promotes student mental health and advances mental health literacy.

Participants will learn ways to support the physical, mental, and social emotional well-being of students caught using alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs on campus, including resources that can serve as an alternative to suspension.

Speakers

Dareen Khatib

Administrator, OC Department of Education

Dareen Khatib is Administrator of Health, Safety, and Prevention Programs at the Orange County Department of Education where she oversees support for comprehensive health education, including mental health education, sexual health education and alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs prevention... Read More →

Nadia Moya

Coordinator, Orange County Department of Education

Thursday October 10, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am PDT
209A

Student and Community Mental Health

12:30pm PDT

Find Clarity Within: Decode Your Body's Messages in 3 Powerful Steps

Thursday October 10, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT

209A

Ever felt that your body might be trying to tell you something?
My journey began with a powerful realization: my physical symptoms weren't just random occurrences—they were a language, speaking truths my mind had overlooked.
Imagine your conference attendees having clarity and direction guided not just by their minds, but by the deep wisdom within their own beings. Whether they are navigating career decisions, personal challenges, or seeking a more aligned life, this session empowers them with practical techniques to align their external reality with their inner truth.
My interactive, hands-on, science-based approach ensures participants aren’t just learning—they’re experiencing transformation. Engage them in guided introspection, group discussions, and breakout sessions in a nurturing environment designed to foster vulnerability, openness and connection.

Key Takeaways for Participants
- Body Signal Recognition: Learn to decode the continuous communication from your body and stop the analysis paralysis.
- Holistic Intelligence: Understand your body's role as an emotional intelligence partner to create a future vision that feels good in both your mind and your body.
- Aligned Choices: Use holistic intelligence to build unshakable trust in yourself and make fulfilling life choices without second guessing.
- Ongoing Well-Being: Learn a framework for continuous mental, emotional, and physical well-being, ensuring you always have tools at your disposal for any decision life throws your way.

Speakers

Lamiaa Laurene Daif

Worldwide Strategy at Apple; Certified Leadership & Holistic Coach., Apple

Have you ever felt like your body is trying to tell you something? I ignored mine for years while climbing the corporate ladder, until burnout and chronic health issues forced me to finally listen. In this game-changing session, I will teach you how to decode your body’s signals... Read More →

Thursday October 10, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
209A

Student and Community Mental Health

3:30pm PDT

Enhancing Schoolwide PBIS with Mental Health Integration through the Interconnected Systems Framework

Thursday October 10, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT

209A

This presentation focuses on the integration of mental health within the existing framework of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) guided by the Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF). Explore benefits of a unified approach to PBIS and School Mental Health supports with examples of how to integrate the two into MTSS. Draft actionable steps for your school so School Based Mental Health is integrated into PBIS at various tiers.

Speakers

Lucia Alfaro

Project Coordinator MTSS, Stanislaus County Office of Education

Thursday October 10, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT
209A

Student and Community Mental Health

10:15am PDT

A Strengths-Based Approach to Understanding and Supporting Youth with Trauma

Friday October 11, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am PDT

209A

With the widespread recognition of trauma’s harmful impacts, especially after COVID-19 lockdowns, schools have been starting some efforts to support student mental health and wellbeing. However, this is often through a deficit lens on students and their families. In this session, participants will be empowered to see students in multifaceted lenses to create humanizing learning experiences, authentic connection, and paths to healing.

Participants will learn about how trauma affects the adolescent brain.
Participants will learn about paths and supports to healing.
Participants will acquire skills to support students with histories of trauma by focusing on their inherent strengths and capabilities
Participants will see an example of how one parent uses restorative parenting with her child

Speakers

Christobelle Tan

Project Specialist, San Diego County Office of Education

Janelle Lopez

Parent Liaison, San Diego County Office of Education

I serve as the Parent & Family Liaison for Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Support for the Whole Child & Community Design department at the San Diego County Office of Education. I lead SEL workshops for families in addition provide technical support to schools and districts. My work... Read More →

Friday October 11, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am PDT
209A

Student and Community Mental Health

1:45pm PDT

Empowering our Youth to Drive Change: How to Build a Multi-tiered System of Support for Student Wellness with Student Voice Leading the Way

Friday October 11, 2024 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

209A

Within this session, presenters will share how student voice and leadership drove change that led to a creation of a robust multi-tiered system of support for student wellness. Participants will hear from a multi-disciplinary team on how, by examining existing systems and working with youth to create new systems that empower and promote student experience at the center, district culture was able to move from a culture of sharing information with students to a culture of leading together. Participants will utilize the Student Voice Continuum, from Californians for Justice to reflect on their current practices for using youth voice and identify where they are on the continuum and where they would like to be. Participants will become familiar with practical steps they can take to lead together with their students to build a MTSS model for student wellness.

Speakers

Jillian Beall

Director of Educational Services, Student Wellness, Sonoma Valley Unified School District

Camille Garcia

District Social Worker, Sonoma Valley Unified School District

Kim Bellach

MTSS Counselor, Sonoma Valley Unified School District

Missy Jackson

Friday October 11, 2024 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
209A

School & District-Wide Leadership

3:00pm PDT

Student Drug and Alcohol Intervention and Suspension Alternative

Friday October 11, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

209A

To provide meaningful and appropriate interventions, HJUHSD has implemented a Zero-Hour Drug and Alcohol Program as an alternative to suspension for first-time offenses led by school social workers.
Participants will:
Explore substance use trends and examine the effectiveness of early intervention with secondary students.
Analyze the process of creating a suspension alternative and consider the results of an active program.

Speakers

James Jay

Intervention Coordinator, Hanford Joint Union High School District

James Jay is the district Intervention Coordinator for Hanford Joint Union High School District. He was a classroom teacher for eleven years and has served the last seven years as an administrator at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. James earned a BA in History... Read More →

Friday October 11, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
209A

School & District-Wide Leadership

Wellness Together's 8th Annual Student Mental Wellness Conference