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<h4>There are many hot topics in education that are relevant to the work of the school board. The learning opportunities in this strand cover hot topics in education, services that are available to your school board, and more.</h4>

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<h3><strong>HTO 101</strong></h3>
<strong>Best Practices in Bullying Prevention</strong>

October is VSBA Bullying Prevention Month and to help combat bullying, school divisions across Virginia have created programs and initiatives to encourage kindness and stop bullying. Statistics show that 160,000 children in the United States miss school each day as a result of being bullied. Childhood bullying is a significant problem nationwide. It can cause school absenteeism, mental and physical stress, poor school performance, poor self-esteem, and in some cases, school violence. Attend this free webinar to learn of best practices in bullying prevention and how your school division can establish similar programs to help put an end to bullying. Louisa County Public Schools will share information on their first-ever Kindness Day, and Cumberland County Public Schools will discuss a Truth Empowerment Summit that students attended and how the schools have implemented items learned at the summit.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/FTh6tJQ57Ao">Available Here</a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 102</strong></h3>
<strong>Designing for School Safety &amp; Security</strong>

The safety of those who occupy our school buildings is paramount, but in securing our facilities how do we err on the side of caution without taking it to the extreme?  School planning and design experts will share lessons learned and best practices related to everything from hardening of schools to fostering the social and emotional well-being of occupants.  Join us for this hot-topic webinar to learn how to accomplish your goal of keeping students safe while still maximizing their potential for learning and development.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/jBc-GMxTssU">Available Here</a>

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HTO-102-Powerpoint-Slides.pdf">To view the slides, click here. </a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 103</strong></h3>
<strong>School Safety: A Focus on Prevention</strong>

The webinar will focus on School Safety. National school security expert Dr. Dewey Cornell will provide best practices on school safety, with a focus on prevention

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/EkM-0fzGW44">Available Here</a>

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HTO-103-Powerpoint-Slides.pdf">To view the slides, click here. </a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 104</strong></h3>
<strong>Improving Emergency Management in VA School Divisions</strong>

Every year, emergencies take their toll on public education across the Commonwealth.  Taking action now can save lives, prevent injury, and minimize property damage during a crisis.   This training will provide step by step advice on how to create and maintain a comprehensive emergency management program.  We will discuss the critical concepts and components of good crisis planning, stimulate thinking about the crisis preparedness process, and provide real examples of recent disasters that have affected school divisions in Virginia.
This session will address the following:
1. Steps of the Planning Process
a. How to form planning team
b. How to conduct a vulnerability analysis
c. How to develop/implement/improve the plan
2. Emergency Management Considerations
a. How to build Emergency Management capabilities such as Life Safety, Property Protection, Communications, and Community Outreach
3. Hazard Specific Information
a. Technical Information on Hazards School Divisions may face and how to address (Fire, Ice, Tornado, Earthquake, Hurricane, Adverse Fleet Incident, Snow)
4. Case Studies
a. Actual Natural Disasters in VA
5. Information Sources
a. Where to go for additional information and training

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/jic62ItyeNE">Available Here</a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 105</strong></h3>
<strong>Combating the Stigma of Youth Mental Illness</strong>

One in five children ages 13-18 have or will experience a mental illness. The average delay between the onset of symptoms and intervention is 8-10 years, with the stigma of mental illness being the number one barrier for youth in seeking help.
Faced with this reality, Fauquier County Public Schools implemented a program to encourage and support school staff to become certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA). YMHFA is an evidence-based approach that teaches individuals how to help youth who are experiencing a mental health challenge.  Equipped with the information and skills provided in the YMHFA course, these "Youth Mental Health First Aiders” also help to spread the word that mental wellness is a topic that should be talked about and responded to as naturally as other health concerns. To date, the school division has nearly 500 staff trained in YMHFA. Staff members identify themselves as YMHFA certified by wearing purple lanyards. Join this webinar to learn about the Youth Mental Health First Aid program in Fauquier, including the implementation process and the program’s impact so far. Participants will leave equipped with information and resources to begin a similar program.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/N1Q8js2ZaYc">Available Here</a>

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HTO-105-Powerpoint-Slides.pdf">To view the slides, click here. </a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 201</strong></h3>
<strong>Everything You Wanted to Know About Opening a K-12 Office of the Ombudsman</strong>

In the Spring of 2018, Fairfax County Public Schools announced that it would be establishing the Office of the Family and Student Ombudsman to offer parents, students, and community members an independent, informal, impartial and confidential resource seeking to resolve concerns, problems, complaints, and other student-related issues. Introducing an office designed to support parents using the principles of Confidentiality, Independence, Impartiality and Informality (as recommended by the International Ombudsman Association) creates a number of opportunities and challenges for a K-12 environment. Opportunities include a greater sense of transparency, access to information, and identification of trending stakeholder concerns. Challenges include clarity on the role of the ombudsman, limits of confidentiality, and the range of parent concerns. The presentation will highlight the steps taken to clarify the desired outcomes for the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman, discussions to define the role and requirements of the office, allocation of resources, establishment of office protocols, community response to the office, and a summary of the data and trends from our first year. Responses in the first year of the office were so strong, that the school board added an Assistant Ombudsman for Special Education and expanded the offices duties to include support for all employees.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/W53fKDyF6ZM">Available Here</a>

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HTO-201-Powerpoint-Slides.pdf">To view the slides, click here. </a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 202</strong></h3>
<strong>PBIS: A System-wide Approach to Addressing Social, Emotional &amp; Behavioral Needs in ACPS</strong>

In an effort to support the academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs of all students, ACPS utilizes a Multi-Tiered System of Support, known as MTSS.  The social-emotional and behavioral component of MTSS is also referred to as PBIS, which is a framework that includes consistent school-wide practices and intervention strategies to encourage positive student behavior.  PBIS also serves to create and maintain positive learning environments for students and staff.  Restorative Practices are a part of this framework. Restorative Practices are based on the principles of Restorative Justice that emphasize the importance of positive relationships as central to building community and involve processes that restore relationships when harm has occurred. Restorative Practices utilize community circles as a Tier 1 practice to build strong positive relationships among all students and staff.  They also teach and model pro-social skills like sharing, listening, empathizing and problem solving which help to create emotionally and physically safe learning environments that promote respect, trust and accountability. This social skills instruction is aligned with the schoolwide expectations promoted by PBIS and the student competencies put forth by the ASCA National School Counseling Model. Together these PBIS and RP practices help to build an inclusive school culture which encourages connectedness among students and staff and shared ownership of the learning environment.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/tOfT1Pys_x4">Available Here</a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 203</strong></h3>
<strong>Our Homegrown Culturally Responsive Teaching Model, an Evidence-Based Approach</strong>

Participants in this webinar will explore the journey of ACPS educators who have participated in a year of training, self-reflection on cultural biases, and application of Culturally Responsive Teaching leading to the production of evidence showing that achievement gaps in their classrooms or school were tackled.  Educators in ACPS are led through this process by peers who have demonstrated expertise as Culturally Responsive Educators, those who have proven to eliminate gaps through their application of the ACPS Three Characteristics of Culturally Responsive Teaching:

(1) Demonstrating a deep understanding of how their cultures interact with the cultures of their students,
(2) Using relevant curriculum and critical culturally responsive practices to increase rigor for their students, and
(3) Building learning partnerships with families in service of the academic achievement of their students.

The Albemarle County Public Schools, Culturally Responsive Teaching model believes that teachers trained as culturally responsive educators should view underachievement not as a student or family problem, but as an instructional one, a personal challenge that our educators are transforming their teaching to address.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/xPwtnHGrt6g">Available Here</a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 204</strong></h3>
<strong>What is Construction Management At-Risk (CMAR) and When Should School Boards Consider Using It?</strong>

In 2017 the state legislature made available another procurement method for public school construction, commonly referred to as “Construction Management At-Risk,” this is a construction project delivery method that has been used by many public and private institutions for many years and is now available to school divisions like yours. This webinar will include an overview of how this method works, how it differs from other methods, and why it may be advantageous for your construction projects. It will also outline the steps a school board must take to implement this process. The presentation will also include an overview of the development of a model School Board Policy to satisfy Virginia public procurement laws. This policy will also establish a well-defined guiding document for school boards and their administrative staffs to follow ensuring code compliance and a successful project.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/jOjrW-WrUuQ">Available Here</a>

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HTO-204-Powerpoint-Slides.pdf">To view the slides, click here. </a>

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<h3><strong>HTO 205</strong></h3>
<strong>Overview of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act</strong>

The presentation will cover the history of the JJRA, how the four core protections provide safeguards for states to ensure youth who enter the juvenile justice system are provided adequate representation, gender specific programing, evidence based programing and reentry services,
Four core protections
• Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders
• Site and Sound Separation
• Removal of youth from adult jails or lockups
• Reduce or Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/4Nmwv3jKWJo">Available Here</a>

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HTO-205-Powerpoint-Slides.pdf">To view the slides, click here. </a>
<h2>Below are webinars focusing on services that are available to school divisions. These webinars will be rotated updates are available.</h2>
<h3><strong>SRV 101</strong></h3>
<strong>VSBA BoardDocs Overview</strong>

BoardDocs is the exclusive eGovernance partner of VSBA. Join VSBA for the free informational webinar demonstration. The webinar will showcase BoardDocs' cloud-based solutions and demonstrate why it is the eGovernance leader, not only in Virginia, but across the nation. Participants will learn how to save money, time and be more effective with BoardDocs.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

Available Here: <a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/1189804986160347905" data-cke-saved-href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/1189804986160347905">https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/1189804986160347905</a>

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<h3><strong>SRV 102</strong></h3>
<strong>There’s Only One BuyBoard – VSBA’s New Complimentary Procurement Service</strong>

Join us to learn about VSBA’s new procurement program, BuyBoard, an NSBA service.  BuyBoard is a free-to-join national online purchasing cooperative developed to streamline the buying process for school divisions, municipalities, and other public entities, while saving time and money.  The program was developed to comply with Virginia state laws which require government entities to make purchases from an approved list of vendors who have gone through a competitive procurement process.  As divisions tighten budgets and look for ways to do more with less funding in the wake of COVID-19, this new member service can assist divisions in their savings efforts.

An added value…every purchase made by participating Virginia school divisions, colleges/universities, counties and municipalities provides VSBA with additional revenue for our advocacy efforts on behalf of public education.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/5PFQOI04Ndk">Available Here</a>

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SRV-102-Powerpoint-Slides.pdf">To view the slides, click here. </a>

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<h3><strong>SRV 103</strong></h3>
<strong>The ABC's of Carving Out Pharmacy Benefits with BPA/ESI</strong>

Join this webinar and walk away with the knowledge and understanding of all the benefits carving out the pharmacy program has to offer. These benefits include lowering pharmacy spend, reducing pharmacy trend, and offering a richer utilization management program that not only benefits the plan's bottom dollar but also makes sure that the members are taken care of in the best possible way.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/RTiik7viEfs">Available Here</a>

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SRV-103-Powerpoint-Slides.pdf">To view the slides, click here. </a>

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<h3><strong>SRV 104</strong></h3>
<strong>The Captive Alternative Health Plan- Public Schools Join Forces to Stabilize Costs</strong>

Join BPA to learn about how the Captive alternative plan works, and to learn about the benefits and rewards current clients are seeing.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/GaCbZfX1_M8">Available Here</a>

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<h3><strong>SRV 105</strong></h3>
<strong>WHRO Digital Resources Webinar for Superintendents and School Board Members</strong>

1 Hour- Free Webinar

Available Here: <a href="https://zoom.us/rec/share/vNMrcJDQzj9Ibc_Q13rQS5MmRZu9eaa8gChN-6cJzk6OZrqdvVERDqwZdzZATZ3x" data-cke-saved-href="https://zoom.us/rec/share/vNMrcJDQzj9Ibc_Q13rQS5MmRZu9eaa8gChN-6cJzk6OZrqdvVERDqwZdzZATZ3x">https://zoom.us/rec/share/vNMrcJDQzj9Ibc_Q13rQS5MmRZu9eaa8gChN-6cJzk6OZrqdvVERDqwZdzZATZ3x</a> <strong>   </strong>
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<h3><strong>SRV 106</strong></h3>
<strong>The Communities In Schools Model of Integrated Student Services</strong>

Communities In Schools (CIS) is the nation's leading dropout prevention organizations. The CIS model of integrated student supports helps students and their families access and navigate the maze of public and private services. There may be ample resources in a community, but rarely is there someone on the ground who is able to connect these resources with the schools and students that need them most. Through a school-based coordinator, CIS brings these local resources into the school where they are accessible, coordinated and accountable.

1 Hour- Free Webinar

<a href="https://youtu.be/6h5Q4lQSmkQ">Available Here</a>