Webinar to Explore Creating Safe Spaces for School Returns

By SCN Staff

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—VS America is hosting a webinar next Friday, March 19, around how physical spaces impact student well-being, and how spaces can help as students are fully back in school.

Opportunities & Obstacles as Students Return to School and how physical spaces impact well-being will take place Friday, March 19, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, focusing on one of the key topics in current education.

While many students are in school in some capacity, once students and staff are fully back in school there are many things to work through, from feelings of isolation and loss to the need for social reconnection and structure.

It’s possible to create physical spaces that help build opportunities and break down barriers for deep connection, healing, and exploration. Please join us in this conversation with diverse practitioners – including a school administrator, clinical officer, social justice specialist, learning designer, as well as students – to dive into the opportunities and obstacles for students and staff, and discover how schools can create spaces to allow for the healing and connectivity needed.

America’s Promise Alliance’s National Survey of High School Students during COVID-19 finds widespread negative impact on learning time, emotional health, and social connection.

  • More than half are much more concerned about the present and future (self and family physical and emotional health)
  • 38% worried about current and future education
  • 30% worried about basic needs
  • 25% trouble sleeping because of worry, unhappiness, depression
  • 29% don’t feel connected to others

Register for free

The webinar’s panelists include:

  • RJ Webber, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction at Novi Community Schools in Novi, MI
  • Caelan Soma, Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Trainer at Starr Commonwealth
  • Jill Ackers, Learning Designer at Fielding International
  • Roger B. Fisher, Associate Director of the Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR) at the University of Michigan

All attendees will get a 6-month free subscription to Starr Commonwealth’s on-demand, trauma-informed, resilience-focused professional development.

Register at: http://bit.ly/VS-well-being.

March 19
Eastern Time
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Central Time
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Mountain Time
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Pacific Time
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.