Agenda

Description:

The PBIS Framework: Your Vehicle for Academic And Social Health. This session will cover the basics of PBIS across all three tiers of implementation, and the critical role of teaming, data, and aligning efforts to work smarter not harder. We will highlight district examples.

Objectives: Develop a working definition of PBIS and its core components; Describe the academic and social benefits of PBIS for staff and students; Describe the role of data & teams in the PBIS framework; Identify freely available resources to help guide implementation.

Bio: Dr. Jessica Swain-Bradway is a former high school, self-contained teacher with twenty-five year of experience in education. She is passionate about classroom practices, and aligning work at the district level to help educators find opportunities to work smarter not harder.

From Assessment to Readiness, an introductory course by the We've Got Your Back® program that gives everyone a common understanding of key school safety topics:

· behavioral threat assessment and management
· basic school-site physical risk assessment
· visitor access and control
· trauma-engaged student safety
· cybersecurity awareness

Participants will also:

· Walk through the AK SAFE Grant and the suite of tools it provides to Alaskan educators and students
· Take part in hands-on training using a customized crisis response binder built around The Big Five®
· Receive a simple physical risk assessment checklist for use in the district
· See a demonstration of the AVAP Toolkit, a specialized resource for victim assistance and safety planning, ensuring every school has a roadmap for both prevention and response.

Whether you are new to school safety or already leading a team, this session provides a strong foundation and practical tools to support prevention, preparedness, and resilience in your schools.

Bio: Patrick Sidmore joined the DEED team three years ago coming from the Division of Public Health where he was the Healthy Schools Specialist. He has also worked for the association of Alaska School Boards and the Alaska Mental Health Board. His focus is on Title IV-A, the Safe Children’s Act, and other school health and safety related topics. He has worked with DEED health and safety team for a decade, developing the trauma-engaged schools’ resources and other initiatives. He has presented on the topics of resilience more than 270 times across Alaska. He holds degrees in clinical social work and in economics as well as studying elementary education.

Description:

Student Leadership Essentials: Empowering Student Voices. Join us for a day-long training session designed for educators, school staff, and administrators ahead of the 2026 Alaska Safety and Wellbeing Conference. This pre-conference event will focus on the critical role of youth voice and leadership in strengthening school environments and improving student outcomes.

When students actively participate in decision-making processes and leadership roles, they feel more engaged and contribute to positive solutions and school climates. Research also shows that including student perspectives can increase engagement, improve academic performance, and reduce feelings of isolation.

During the training, participants will take part in hands-on activities to practice leadership skills. Educators will learn about tools and resources to better involve students and support adult allies, and they will hear directly from students about their experiences and needs. The session will also share practical ideas for strengthening programs like student councils, peer mentoring, youth advisory boards, and leadership or service clubs.

This session aims to strengthen the knowledge and skills of educators to support student leadership and create a school environment where all students can succeed.

Bio: Claudia is a graduate Eastern Oregon University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, with a minor in Gender Studies. She also has her Master of Science Degree in Sociology from Portland State University. After receiving her Master’s, she taught undergraduate classes at Eastern Oregon University. Although she enjoyed teaching, Claudia wanted to work in a field where she could feel that she was making a real difference. This brought her to Alaska, where she spent over 12 years working to engage youth and communities in leadership and advocacy work.

Bio: Dr. Patti Hershfeldt is a Youth Engagement Specialist and National Training and Technical Assistance Facilitator with more than 15 years of experience supporting schools in the implementation of PBIS/MTSS. She co-chairs a national high school network that convenes implementers and researchers for ongoing collaboration, problem solving, and continuous improvement. Her professional expertise includes equity, classroom systems, and youth voice. She is also a former high school special education teacher with 15 years of classroom experience.

Description:

Building Capacity for Schoolwide Physical Activity: From Fitness Testing to a Comprehensive Approach. Workshop participants will build foundational understanding of how to implement and sustain a Presidential Youth Fitness Program (PYFP), while also exploring how fitness assessment fits within a broader Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) framework.

Grounded in Alaska’s unique context, this session will focus on practical, scalable strategies that can be implemented across rural and resource-limited settings, including Alaska-specific programs such as Healthy Futures and Native Youth Olympics. This interactive pre-conference session is designed for school district staff (not limited to PE teachers) and will kick off a Physical Activity Cohort working to strengthen systems that support student health and well-being.

Attendees will leave with concrete tools, examples, and a clearer roadmap for building district capacity to support student physical activity, improve fitness outcomes, and advance whole child health.

Bio: Lauren Kelsey, MPH is a Public Health Specialist with the State of Alaska Physical Activity & Nutrition Unit. She provides training and technical assistance to schools, tribal organizations, and other partners to implement strong wellness policies, food and beverage policies and other systems changes to support making the healthy choice the easy choice for Alaskans. She is the Project Director for the Alaska Healthy Schools Project, a 5-year Cooperative Agreement (July 2023-June 2028) awarded by the CDC Healthy Schools and currently working on an Alaskan-ized Presidential Fitness Program.

Bio: Montana Brown, Ed.S., is a School Health Senior Specialist at Action for Healthy Kids, where she leads district-level technical assistance, wellness policy evaluation, and school health infrastructure work across state partnerships. A former teacher and school administrator, she holds a principal's license and an Ed.S. in Leadership for Educational Organizations. Montana brings practitioner experience directly into her work with districts, helping schools build sustainable, whole-child health systems.

Bio: Kyle Worl is an award-winning Arctic Sports athlete, coach, and cultural ambassador based in Juneau, Alaska. He is Tlingit (Raven Sockeye clan), Athabascan, and Yup’ik. Over a 17-year career, Worl has earned more than 100 medals while competing across Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. He is widely recognized for helping spark a resurgence of Native Games in Southeast Alaska, becoming the first Juneau coach in over 25 years to bring a team to the NYO Games in 2018.

In addition to year-round training and coaching in Alaska, Worl travels internationally to share and promote Indigenous traditional games. His work has been featured at the Riddu Riđđu Festival in Norway, Orenda Art International Gallery in Paris, and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Worl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He currently serves as Wellness Administrator for the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, where he oversees a regionwide Traditional Games program focused on youth wellness, cultural revitalization, and prevention.

His accolades include being featured in Men’s Health Magazine (October 2019), speaking Tlingit on American Ninja Warrior (Season 12), receiving the NYO Games Alaska Healthy Coach Award four times, and earning the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics Outstanding Athlete Award five times. In 2022, he was inducted into the North American Indigenous Athlete Hall of Fame in recognition of his athletic achievements and leadership.

This session explores practical strategies for supporting student safety in an increasingly complex digital landscape shaped by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Bio: Anthony White is an educator based in Kodiak with over a decade of classroom experience in creative technology applications. He currently serves as the Computer Science Content Specialist for AKDEED, where he supports districts across the state in advancing computer science/digital literacy education and integrating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence into teaching and learning.

Discover practical strategies to help foster and vulnerable students feel seen, safe, and supported. Learn how belonging, trusted relationships, and family partnerships strengthen school climate and student well-being.

Bio: Rebecca Stallworth is the Superintendent of the Klawock City School District in Southeast Alaska and has nearly 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, school counselor, principal, and district administrator. She serves on the Alaska Resource Family Advisory Board and is also a resource family, bringing both professional and personal perspectives to supporting foster and vulnerable youth. Rebecca is passionate about creating school systems where every student feels seen, safe, supported, and connected through strong relationships, belonging, and community partnerships.

Description:

The Healing Power of Native Youth Olympics explores how Indigenous games and movement practices support wellness, identity, and community connection. Rooted in generations of cultural knowledge, Traditional Games teach resilience, teamwork, discipline, and belonging while creating positive spaces for youth and families to connect. Through storytelling, demonstrations, and discussion, participants will learn how games can be used as tools for prevention, healing, cultural revitalization, and strengthening community wellness across generations.

The session will also highlight innovative approaches to Indigenous physical education, including how Native Youth Olympics events can be integrated into or complement the updated Presidential Physical Fitness Test by providing culturally relevant measures of strength, endurance, balance, agility, and coordination while increasing student engagement and cultural pride.

Bio: Kyle Worl is an award-winning Arctic Sports athlete, coach, and cultural ambassador based in Juneau, Alaska. He is Tlingit (Raven Sockeye clan), Athabascan, and Yup’ik. Over a 17-year career, Worl has earned more than 100 medals while competing across Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. He is widely recognized for helping spark a resurgence of Native Games in Southeast Alaska, becoming the first Juneau coach in over 25 years to bring a team to the NYO Games in 2018.

In addition to year-round training and coaching in Alaska, Worl travels internationally to share and promote Indigenous traditional games. His work has been featured at the Riddu Riđđu Festival in Norway, Orenda Art International Gallery in Paris, and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Worl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He currently serves as Wellness Administrator for the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, where he oversees a regionwide Traditional Games program focused on youth wellness, cultural revitalization, and prevention.

His accolades include being featured in Men’s Health Magazine (October 2019), speaking Tlingit on American Ninja Warrior (Season 12), receiving the NYO Games Alaska Healthy Coach Award four times, and earning the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics Outstanding Athlete Award five times. In 2022, he was inducted into the North American Indigenous Athlete Hall of Fame in recognition of his athletic achievements and leadership.

In this session, participants will be introduced to Integrated Multi-Tiered System of Supports (I-MTSS) and explore how integration of RTI and PBIS can impact student outcomes across Alaska’s diverse school contexts.

Bio: Dr. Jennie Knutson is an Term Assistant Professor of School Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage with 28 years of PK–12 experience as a school psychologist and district administrator in Alaska. Prior to joining UAA, she served as the Senior Director of Mental Health and Student Support for the Anchorage School District. Dr. Knutson is a passionate advocate for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and has led initiatives in the science of reading, evidence-based assessment and decision-making, specific learning disability identification, social-emotional learning (SEL), integrated school mental health, and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). She is enthusiastic about contributing to UAA's new graduate program in School Psychology, which is preparing the next generation of school psychologists to serve students and communities across Alaska.

Bio: Douglas Gray is the Professional Development Director for the Alaska Staff Development Network (ASDN), where he leads statewide professional learning initiatives that support educators, school leaders, and districts across Alaska. With more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, principal, special education director, district administrator, and university instructor, he is committed to advancing high-quality instruction, effective leadership, and student success. Doug works towards building collaborative partnerships and designing practical, research-based professional learning that helps educators improve outcomes for all students.

Bio: Ella MacRae is a current MS in School Psychology Student at UAA. She grew up in California, moved to Washington while obtaining her bachelor's degree in psychology at Whitman College, and recently moved to Alaska for the start of her masters program. While at UAA she is working as the Graduate Research Assistant on Project iSPARRC, aimed to expand school psychological services across the state of Alaska; serving as a Community-engaged Student Assistant on the Alaska Statewide Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Collaborative; and is the Cohort 1 Student Representative for the School Psychology Program.

Bio: Dr. Brown-Chidsey is Associate Professor of School Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She was a classroom teacher and special educator for 10 years prior to earning a Ph.D. in School Psychology and Special Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Dr. Brown-Chidsey’s specific research studies have examined evidence-based assessment practices, national and state policies regarding identification of specific learning disability and dyslexia, teachers’ experiences implementing an MTSS, and Tier 1 core instruction practices. Dr. Brown-Chidsey has published numerous books and peer-reviewed articles and consulted to schools and districts across the U.S.

A central focus of this presentation is school-based outreach. Presenters will discuss how direct, age appropriate presentations to students can increase awareness, strengthen decision-making skills and reduce risk.

Bio: Sandy Snodgrass founded Ak Fentanyl Response after the tragic loss of her only child, Bruce Snodgrass, from Fentanyl Poisoning on October, 26,2021

AK Fentanyl Response advocates for awareness, demand reduction, law enforcement and policy change on national and state levels.

Discover how combining MTSS and Brightways' Web of Support™ strengthens educators and students alike. Learn practical strategies to build connected school cultures, prevent burnout, and ensure every student is known, supported, and able to thrive.

Bio: Rod Morrison is the Superintendent of the Southeast Island School District, where he has served for the past three years. With over two decades of experience in education, he is committed to creating positive school climates and ensuring all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Before becoming superintendent, Rod served as Principal of George H. Gilson Middle School in Valdez, Alaska. During his tenure, he also took on district leadership roles, including Activities Director, and helped guide major school improvement efforts. His leadership has been recognized with honors such as Alaska State Secondary Principal of the Year.

Rod has been an active leader at the state level, serving as President of the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals and President of the Alaska Council of School Administrators. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Education and a master’s degree in Educational Technology.

He currently serves on the SERRC (Southeast Regional Resource Center) Board, supporting regional collaboration and professional learning across Southeast Alaska.

Rod is passionate about creating hope and believes in building inclusive, supportive environments where students and staff can thrive.

Bio: David's combined 20 years of experience working with youth in direct care and administration in both the private and public sector has equipped him with a unique lens through which to see youth in Alaska and beyond. He was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and has had the privilege to live in that state's rural communities, as well as Northern California. Throughout his career, the training he has received from some of the top youth and experiential education professionals in the U.S. and Canada provides him with a solid understanding of what youth need to succeed. David brings a fresh perspective on supporting and guiding youth through their life and career paths; understanding that life is a journey in which growth and learning have no end.

Primary and secondary stress exposure is ubiquitous for educators, with negative impacts on health and wellbeing. Attendees will develop understanding of stress and stressors and learn proactive and responsive strategies for improving wellbeing.

Bio: Maressa Alrich, MSW provides professional development and coaching to school staff teams across the state of Alaska. Areas of expertise include schoolwide and individual trauma-engaged practices, personal and community resilience, social emotional learning, and restorative approaches. Maressa is passionate about sharing evidence-based strategies to improve wellbeing for students, staff, families, and communities.

Schools are increasingly asked to strengthen safety practices while also maintaining supportive, inclusive, and prevention-oriented learning environments. This session will explore how Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management, or BTAM, can be aligned with MTSS/PBIS to create a more coherent continuum of prevention, early intervention, and individualized support.

Grounded in the 2025 joint guidance from the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center and the Center on PBIS, this session will help educators examine how existing PBIS/MTSS systems can strengthen BTAM practices by improving referral pathways, team communication, data-based decision making, intervention planning, and follow-up support. The guidance emphasizes that aligning BTAM with MTSS/PBIS can promote successful outcomes for students, reduce risk of harm to the school community, and support students with disabilities throughout the BTAM process. (PBIS)

Participants will consider how Tier 1 systems build protective school climates, how Tier 2 supports can address emerging concerns before they escalate, and how Tier 3 individualized supports can be coordinated with BTAM processes. The session will include brief content presentation, reflection questions, and a practical alignment activity to help teams identify next steps for integrating school safety, mental health, PBIS, and student support systems.

Bio: Dr. Jessica Swain-Bradway is a former high school, self-contained teacher with twenty-five year of experience in education. She is passionate about classroom practices, and aligning work at the district level to help educators find opportunities to work smarter not harder.

Description:

Many schools already recognize the need for trauma-engaged practices. However, knowing how to systemically implement, assess, and sustain this work can be challenging. During this workshop, co-create resources with us and analyze where you’re at with trauma engaged practices.

Share What’s Working: Highlight successful practices and helpful tools currently used in Alaskan schools to support a trauma-engaged approach.

Identify Gaps: Collectively discuss what is still needed, exploring the specific resources, supports, and refinements required to make these guides truly effective and relevant to your unique school context.

Shape the Future: Actively participate in a co-creation process to refine and shape the Milestone Guides, tools to track your trauma engaged practices.

The Transforming Schools Framework, Tools, and Milestone Guides are designed as a supportive roadmap to help districts, schools, and individuals to embed trauma-engaged practices. Your input will ensure these resources are practical, accessible, and transformative tools that any individual in your school can use to drive positive change.

Bio: Lori Grassgreen is the Director of the Conditions for Learning Team at the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB). For the past twelve years, she has led statewide efforts to strengthen school climate, support trauma-engaged schools, promote student well-being, foster meaningful family engagement, and improve educational outcomes across Alaska.

Over the course of a 30-year career in education, prevention, and community development, Lori has taught high school, partnered with schools and Tribal organizations, and championed student and family voice to create learning environments where all students can thrive. Before joining AASB, she served as Prevention Director for the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, where she led initiatives to strengthen families, cultivate youth leadership, and advance community-based prevention efforts.

Bio: Patrick Sidmore joined the DEED team three years ago coming from the Division of Public Health where he was the Healthy Schools Specialist. He has also worked for the association of Alaska School Boards and the Alaska Mental Health Board. His focus is on Title IV-A, the Safe Children’s Act, and other school health and safety related topics. He has worked with DEED health and safety team for a decade, developing the trauma-engaged schools’ resources and other initiatives. He has presented on the topics of resilience more than 270 times across Alaska. He holds degrees in clinical social work and in economics as well as studying elementary education.

Bio: Maressa Alrich, MSW provides professional development and coaching to school staff teams across the state of Alaska. Areas of expertise include schoolwide and individual trauma-engaged practices, personal and community resilience, social emotional learning, and restorative approaches. Maressa is passionate about sharing evidence-based strategies to improve wellbeing for students, staff, families, and communities.

Bio: Audrey Coble is a research professional with the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development. Currently, their work centers on youth mental health interventions in schools, supported employment initiatives for individuals with disabilities, and educating scientists about accessible, collaborative, community based participatory research methods

Led by AASB staff and Culture Bearer Diana Boggess, participants will experience a Busy Hands conversation: guided discussion during a culturally connected beading activity to strengthen school-family relationships and deepen family engagement.

Bio: Molissa Udevitz grew up in Anchorage and has worked in education for over 10 years, including as a naturalist, museum educator, and cross-cultural youth program manager. In her current role as a Family Engagement Coordinator with the Association of Alaska School Boards, she helps schools deepen their work and relationships with families. She draws on her experience in youth development, culturally responsive teaching, community building, and facilitation to support stronger school-family partnerships.

Bio: Diana Piitsighaq Boggess is Siberian Yupik from Nome Alaska. She currently lives and works on Dena’ina land in Anchorage Alaska. Diana has been working for the Anchorage School District for the last 15 years in various roles and is now a Coordinator for the Indigenous Ed. Dept. for the Ts’iłq’u Program.

Bio: Rebecca Menzia is the Ts'iłq'u Project Coordinator with the Association of Alaska School Boards, supporting family engagement, cultural connection, and student well-being through community-based programming. Her work focuses on helping schools and families build stronger relationships through culturally responsive workshops, social-emotional learning, and practical support.

Rebecca has a background in education, music, program coordination, and community-based learning. She is especially interested in creating welcoming spaces where families, schools, and community partners can connect in meaningful, hands-on ways.

What if movement wasn't an add-on but essential school infrastructure? This interactive session uses the CSPAP framework to help schools embed physical activity into daily routines—creating sustainable, movement-rich schools where students thrives.

Bio: Montana Brown, Ed.S., is a School Health Senior Specialist at Action for Healthy Kids, where she leads district-level technical assistance, wellness policy evaluation, and school health infrastructure work across state partnerships. A former teacher and school administrator, she holds a principal's license and an Ed.S. in Leadership for Educational Organizations. Montana brings practitioner experience directly into her work with districts, helping schools build sustainable, whole-child health systems.

In this session, participants will learn about the importance of youth voice, and some of the practices we at the Association of Alaska School Boards utilize in our youth leadership and advocacy events. We will take a look at the structure of a youth event, and discuss the various ways we support youth. We support youth in feeling empowered to not only share their voices, but also to support meaningful change within their schools and communities.

Bio: Chookán was born and raised in Sheet'ká (Sitka), and has a background in cultural education. She now works with the Association of Alaska School Boards, supporting schools in elevating youth voice and leadership across the state. Chookán supports districts by facilitating dialogues, and trains future facilitators to host family and school conversations. She also works with youth across Alaska during AASB’s annual Youth Leadership Institute and the Youth Advocacy Institute.

Bio: Claudia is a graduate Eastern Oregon University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, with a minor in Gender Studies. She also has her Master of Science Degree in Sociology from Portland State University. After receiving her Master’s, she taught undergraduate classes at Eastern Oregon University. Although she enjoyed teaching, Claudia wanted to work in a field where she could feel that she was making a real difference. This brought her to Alaska, where she spent over 12 years working to engage youth and communities in leadership and advocacy work.

Description:

Youth online media consumption, especially social media, is a concern among parents, teachers, and mental health providers. The purpose of our presentation is threefold:
(1) To discuss the extent of the problem of media consumption among Alaska youth, its risk and protective factors, as well as its associated outcomes;
(2) to explore issues related to online media design and its connection to media addiction among youth; and
(3) to engage participants in identifying ways to create a framework for Alaska youth to have a healthy media diet. At the end of our presentation, we seek to establish partnerships with teachers and administrators for promoting a healthy media diet in their respective schools.

Bio: Dr. Garcia is a Philippine-born, Alaska-grown Professor of Public Health at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). He is a recipient of multiple awards in public health, community service, and diversity. Dr. Garcia's research interests include health promotion and disease prevention, health communication, racial/ethnic health disparities, and social determinants of health.

Bio: Dr. Joy Chavez Mapaye is a professor in the Department of Journalism and Public Communications at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Mapaye teaches media literacy, health communication and strategic communications. Her research agenda involves the intersection of media and public health, including how media shapes our lives and relationships. In 2022, Mapaye, along with members of the Alaska Public Health Information Response Team, received the Alaska Community Service Award for Health from the Alaska Public Health Association. The award recognizes an organization, business or group making a significant contribution to improving the health of Alaskans.

This conference session will highlight the practical strategies schools can use to become more environmentally friendly through gardening, composting, and recycling initiatives. Presenters will share examples of how school gardens can provide hands-on learning opportunities while teaching students about sustainability and healthy food systems. The session will highlight the benefits of composting cafeteria and classroom waste to reduce landfill contributions and create nutrient-rich soil for the garden, as well as how to find partners to help fund the work. Sayéik: Gastineau Community School staff will describe their schoolwide environmental awareness journey, share lessons learned, and offer practical tips to help schools begin their eco-friendly journey.

Bio: Stacy, a lifelong Alaskan, is passionate about advocating for and educating the next generation. Since 2020, she has served as the principal of Sayéik: Gastineau Community School, a small but mighty Ocean school dedicated to developing students who are thoughtful stewards of the land.

Bio: After 30 years in education—29 of them in the classroom— Monika recently began a new chapter as an elementary school librarian. She loves to share her passion for reading with students from kindergarten through sixth grade and help them discover books they'll love.

When she’s not in the library, you'll likely find her in the garden or exploring a favorite trail.

Explore culturally responsive, relationship-centered tools to build safe school climates in Alaska. Learn practical strategies, such as community circles, to reduce bullying, improve student well-being, and foster connection and accountability.

Bio: Leslie has been in the field of public education, K - 12, for over 35 years, serving students in Alaska for 22 of those. Leslie holds two Master's degrees and has served students in both areas of expertise: special education and school counseling. Currently retired from student-based work, Leslie now works for SERRC, Alaska’s Educational Resource Center. Under the AK Safe Grant, she serves Alaska's school districts in consultative and training roles covering a wide variety of school safety related topics, including comprehensive school safety planning, culturally responsive restorative practices, and Mental Health First Aid.

Bio: Jess has been rooted in education since 2011, but her move to Alaska in 2019 truly shaped her approach to school safety. As a School Safety Coordinator, Jess has spent the last several years traveling across the state, listening to educators and families from our busiest hubs to our most remote villages. This journey has given her a profound understanding of the unique safety and climate challenges facing our schools today.

Ever try to make it through a full workday on an empty stomach? Or stay awake through a conference plenary when you haven’t moved out of your seat all afternoon? It’s tough for students too! Students who get the recommended levels of physical activity and nutrition benefit both physically and academically. Benefits include improved concentration, memory, and classroom behavior; improved standardized test scores; lower levels of stress and anxiety; better sleep outcomes; and reduced risk factors for chronic diseases.

A Local School Wellness Policy (LWP) is a written plan that helps school districts promote healthy eating and physical activity for students-- and is required of all school districts who participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Meet with staff from Alaska's Departments of Health and Education to learn about best practices to support the physical activity and nutrition needs of students and meeting requirements for a wellness policy review.

Bio: Lauren Kelsey, MPH is a Public Health Specialist with the State of Alaska Physical Activity & Nutrition Unit. She provides training and technical assistance to schools, tribal organizations, and other partners to implement strong wellness policies, food and beverage policies and other systems changes to support making the healthy choice the easy choice for Alaskans. She is the Project Director for the Alaska Healthy Schools Project, a 5-year Cooperative Agreement (July 2023-June 2028) awarded by the CDC Healthy Schools and currently working on an Alaskan-ized Presidential Fitness Program.

Bio: Adrianne Schwartz was born and raised in Petersburg, where her family has lived for seven generations. She spent her early years commercial fishing with her family and later operated a Dungeness crab and gillnet vessel. She earned a BA in Education from Western Washington University in 1996, continuing to fish during summers and working in restaurants during the academic year. After graduating, she worked as a substitute teacher and held various roles in restaurant operations. She eventually returned to Petersburg, where she owned and operated Northern Lights Restaurant before relocating to Juneau. There, she served as the Food Service Director for the Juneau School District for seventeen years. While with the Juneau School District she completed a MBA in 2017 and received the 2019 Alaska and Northwest Regional School Nutrition Association (SNA) Director of the Year. More recently, she worked at DEED on the ESEA team as the Title II-A Program Manager and McKinney-Vento State Coordinator. She now serves as the Alaska Nutrition Programs Manager.

Bio: Waverli Stowe was born in Kodiak and raised in the Mat-Su Valley. She graduated from UAA in 2015 with a BA in International Studies with a focus on International Development and East Asia. While at UAA, she worked with Oxfam America and Heifer International to promote food security and sustainability. She worked for a time in human services in a domestic violence shelter and for OCS. Waverli also has about four years of experience working in higher education. In 2022, she graduated with a Master of Public Administration from UAS. She has worked with DEED since 2022 and with CNP since 2023.

Learn practical strategies to authentically engage students and families as partners in PBIS planning and decision-making. Discover how meaningful voice builds trust,increases ownership, and creates more effective, sustainable PBIS systems.

Bio: Dr. Patti Hershfeldt is a Youth Engagement Specialist and National Training and Technical Assistance Facilitator with more than 15 years of experience supporting schools in the implementation of PBIS/MTSS. She co-chairs a national high school network that convenes implementers and researchers for ongoing collaboration, problem solving, and continuous improvement. Her professional expertise includes equity, classroom systems, and youth voice. She is also a former high school special education teacher with 15 years of classroom experience.

The journey to wellness and overall wellbeing is long and arduous, but never impossible, with baby steps in the right direction, and tools to pick up along the way.

Bio: Gordon Iya grew up in a bilingual household, surrounded by strong cultural ties, the very same households impacted by generational trauma and all the ill effects associated with it. Childhood was very rocky, but traditional ways were instilled with perseverance.

School safety is a complex, interdisciplinary problem. In this interactive session led by UAF PhD faculty/students, participants engage in approaching school safety from multiple lens and perspective (emergency management, physical, & emotional).

Bio: Dr. Layton Graves is an education economist and affiliate faculty for the Interdisciplinary PhD program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Business and Security Management. Layton served as an Active-Duty logistics officer in the United States Air Force for seven years with duty stations in Alaska, Washington DC, and New Mexico. He received his doctorate from the Johns Hopkins University, where he now instructs international leaders on teaching and learning theories. In his free time, Layton enjoys making ice cream and spending time outside with his family.

Participants will learn underlying causes of school avoidance and exposure-based strategies for school re-engagement. Strategies include building back to school plans as well as best practices in collaborating with families and community partners.

Bio: Megan Frye, PhD is a Licensed Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist. She is the Co-Director of Training and Lead of Consultation in School-Based Behavioral Health at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Dr. Frye’s work focuses on decreasing disparities in access to behavioral healthcare by integrating services into schools and primary care settings. She enjoys providing clinical consultation and training to behavioral health staff working in schools and believes strongly in the power of schools to support the social and emotional wellbeing of children.

Clinically, she specializes in the assessment and treatment of developmental, behavioral, and emotional challenges with an emphasis on anxiety and autism spectrum disorders. She leads innovation efforts in integrating autism diagnostics into primary care and school settings in the broader WWAMI region.

Bio: Lisa Barrois is an Attending Licensed Psychologist at Seattle Children's Hospital and former school psychologist. Dr. Barrois’ clinical work focuses on treatment of anxiety in an intensive outpatient program setting. As a member of the Seattle Children’s Hospital/University of Washington School-Based Implementation, Partnership, Advocacy, Consultation and Training Team (SCH/UW School IMPACT Team), Dr. Barrois provides clinical consultation and training to therapists and staff in school-based health centers as well as supports public health initiatives related to school mental health.

Description:

The introduction of new tobacco and nicotine products continues to be an influence on the use among Alaska’s youth. Tobacco use can impact individual health as well as learning environments. The good news: schools can help address youth tobacco use. This presentation will highlight:

1. Emerging tobacco products
2. Trends in tobacco use and tobacco related suspensions among Alaska’s youth
3. Educational resources on nicotine products
4. Alternative to suspension programs and other support systems for youth who use nicotine products.

A closer look into one Alternative to Suspension program will provide attendees tools to help navigate the waters of this program in their communities.

Bio: Bea Pullekines serves as the Youth Specialist with the State of Alaska Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. Through this program, she works with partners across the state to implement evidence-based tobacco prevention efforts. She also provides focused assistance with youth tobacco prevention to statewide partners.

Bio: Legislative Aide turned Public Health Advocate Jen Chikoyak has been fighting for a healthier Alaska for the last two decades. When she isn’t pursuing policies, Jen can often be found remodeling her home, pestering her husband, or spending time with her three dogs. Next time you see her ask about the dog themed bathroom!

Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD) has been implementing Sources of Strength since 2022 and has seen a significant positive impact on school culture, connectedness, climate, and a reduction in suicidal ideation and attempts. Following LKSD's presentation on Sources of Strength at the 2025 School Safety and Well-Being Summit, Lake and Peninsula School District (LPSD) joined the Sources of Strength program and has already seen a positive impact on their student body and student services programming in just one semester. This interactive presentation focuses on how two similar, but different rural Alaskan school districts are implementing the Sources of Strength programming to meet the unique needs of their communities and region. Join us for "1 part sharing, 1 part fun, and 1 part planning" to see if the hope, help, and strength found in this program could positively benefit your school community!

Bio: Kacy Lou is LPSD’s Itinerant Student Services Coordinator. She has called the Lake Clark / Iliamna Lake area home since 2015 and is overjoyed to be working her dream job with Lake & Peninsula School District. She is the proud momma of three and is also an avid reader, writer, and novice cross-country skier. Kacy Lou has been working in education for over a seventeen years and has taught English and several electives, but found a passion for melding student support and school administration after serving as a high school principal in Colorado for several years. She received her Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning – Student Services from Liberty University, her Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership from University of Alaska – Anchorage, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Indigenous Education and Mental Health at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks. Kacy Lou was named the Alaska School Counseling Advocate of the Year in 2025!

Bio: Meghan Crow, LCSW, has been a school social worker with the Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD) for the past 28 years. She currently serves as the Lead LKSD School Social Worker and supervises social workers at 9 other LKSD sites. Meghan also serves as her District’s McKinney Vento Liaison, Foster Care Point of Contact and Sources of Strength Coordinator. Meghan is a founding member of the Alaska Association of School Social Workers (AASSW) and was recently awarded the 2025-26 Alaska School Social Worker of the Year. Building resilience in youth remains her passion and is the “why” behind her work.

Reading and Resilience explores the connection between student well-being, school connectedness, and academic achievement. As Alaska schools see success through implementation of the Alaska Reads Act and the Science of Reading, growing evidence also supports the science of resilience. Like reading, resilience can be taught, practiced, strengthened, and measured through specific skills and routines.

This interactive session combines real-world stories and scenarios from schools, emergency response, and crisis situations with research from neuroscience, psychology, clinical practice, and emergency medicine. Scarborough’s Reading Rope reminds us that skilled reading depends on many interconnected strands. Resilience practices help students hold onto that rope when learning becomes difficult.

Participants will be introduced to MARCH for Resilience, a practical framework for strengthening regulation, agency, connection, and belonging. Through guided reflection, discussion, and brief activities, participants will experience strategies such as benefit finding, gratitude practice, and rethinking the stress response.

These research-informed, low-cost practices can be adapted for classrooms, staff meetings, family engagement, and student support systems. Participants will leave with practical habits and realistic next steps for helping students, staff, families, and communities recover, grow, and thrive through challenge.

Bio: Mike Franklin is the Superintendent of the Aleutians East Borough School District. His understanding of resilience has developed through hands-on work as a teacher, coach, high school principal, superintendent, EMT, commercial fisherman, and father of two sons. Throughout his career, he has supported students, staff, families, and communities through trauma, conflict, emergencies, and periods of significant change.

Mike previously developed and taught health and advisory programs and led a resilience program for wildland firefighters. He continues to serve as an EMT and EMS Director for the City of Sand Point. His current work focuses on strengthening reading systems, supporting educators, and helping schools build the relationships, skills, and sense of belonging that allow students and adults to meet challenges and move forward.

Trusted Relationships are based on Communication, Collaboration, Cultural Competency and Caring. This keynote will offer tips for building school safety and well-being. Research-based and reality-driven, it offers heartfelt honesty, humor, and hope.

Bio: Dr. Stephen Sroka failed the third-grade. He was raised in the “projects" by a single mother on welfare. In ES, he was mocked for having a crossed eye and a speech impediment. He was injured in a HS fight, and in a wheelchair for a year. Doctors said, “Listen to your teachers.” The more he listened, the smarter the teachers became. His HS counselor told him that he didn’t have the IQ to go to college, but he didn’t know that Steve had the I WILL. He learned to live with the gifts of ADHD and dyslexia. His struggles to become a teacher made him a better educator.

He went from the “projects” to being inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. He was awarded The Walt Disney American Outstanding Teacher of Health and received the Outstanding School Health Educator Award and Fellow status from the American School Health Association. He was named the Person of the Year for The International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention and received the first-ever School Health Leader Award from the American Public Health Association. Recently, he received the National Association of School Nurses 2025 President’s Recognition Award. He has been covered in Education Week, The New York Times, Campus Safety Magazine and K-12 DIVE. But his favorite “award” was when his then 6-year-old daughter told him he was smarter than Inspector Gadget.

He has worked in schools (and on Native American Reservations) for over 50 years, including teaching, administration, and providing crisis intervention for 30 years in the Cleveland Public Schools. He has keynoted many major educational conferences including NSBA, AASA, NASN, NASSP, NASRO, DARE, SSWAA, STN EXPO, DEA, PTA, NASP, NEA, AFT, UNITY, US Dept of Ed, and others.

He has traveled the world striving to reach, elevate and inspire with The Power of One message, how one person can make a difference. Steve had a cardiac arrest while presenting a school in-service. A principal, superintendent, two SROs, two school psychologists and others saved his life and changed his message. He now talks about how you need The Power of Many, how it takes a team, to make a lasting difference.

Today, Dr. Stephen Sroka is a motivational speaker, award-winning teacher, author, consultant, and adjunct assistant professor at the School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and President of Health Education Consultants.

Description:

School Safety and Well-Being to a T is a powerful hands-on visual strategy to promote school safety and well-being by building relationships, partnerships and leadership. It has been used successfully with the most reluctant learners as well as with in-services for the highest-level administrators of state departments of education and health, community and business organizations, and tribal communities.

Imagine an exciting interactive activity that lets you learn about yourself and others as you examine the challenges that we face to address school safety and well-being.
On the front of your T-shirt, you will have an opportunity to reflect and graphically depict who you are, what you value, your pet peeves, your dreams, and create a handcrafted visual of yourself.

On the back of your T-shirt, you will have an opportunity to create a plan of action to make a difference with school safety and well-being based on your experiences, creativity, hopes and create take away messages that will literally and figuratively “cover your back.”

This session gives you time to reflect, present your ideas in a brain-based, multiple intelligence way, and incorporate social intelligence to bring your plans to life and help lead you through a process that ends with you graphically displaying and testifying about who you are and your action plans (covering your back) to make a difference with school safety and well-being on a T-shirt in your most creative, colorful, outrageous way And if you wish, you will have a chance to tell your story.

Bio: Dr. Stephen Sroka failed the third-grade. He was raised in the “projects" by a single mother on welfare. In ES, he was mocked for having a crossed eye and a speech impediment. He was injured in a HS fight, and in a wheelchair for a year. Doctors said, “Listen to your teachers.” The more he listened, the smarter the teachers became. His HS counselor told him that he didn’t have the IQ to go to college, but he didn’t know that Steve had the I WILL. He learned to live with the gifts of ADHD and dyslexia. His struggles to become a teacher made him a better educator.

He went from the “projects” to being inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. He was awarded The Walt Disney American Outstanding Teacher of Health and received the Outstanding School Health Educator Award and Fellow status from the American School Health Association. He was named the Person of the Year for The International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention and received the first-ever School Health Leader Award from the American Public Health Association. Recently, he received the National Association of School Nurses 2025 President’s Recognition Award. He has been covered in Education Week, The New York Times, Campus Safety Magazine and K-12 DIVE. But his favorite “award” was when his then 6-year-old daughter told him he was smarter than Inspector Gadget.

He has worked in schools (and on Native American Reservations) for over 50 years, including teaching, administration, and providing crisis intervention for 30 years in the Cleveland Public Schools. He has keynoted many major educational conferences including NSBA, AASA, NASN, NASSP, NASRO, DARE, SSWAA, STN EXPO, DEA, PTA, NASP, NEA, AFT, UNITY, US Dept of Ed, and others.

He has traveled the world striving to reach, elevate and inspire with The Power of One message, how one person can make a difference. Steve had a cardiac arrest while presenting a school in-service. A principal, superintendent, two SROs, two school psychologists and others saved his life and changed his message. He now talks about how you need The Power of Many, how it takes a team, to make a lasting difference.

Today, Dr. Stephen Sroka is a motivational speaker, award-winning teacher, author, consultant, and adjunct assistant professor at the School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and President of Health Education Consultants.

Description:

Key Objectives:
- Discover how personal stories build trust and authentic relationships with young people.
- Learn a simple framework for sharing stories that inspire hope without oversharing.
- Identify moments when storytelling can encourage, redirect, and motivate youth.
- Leave with a personal "go-to" story that can be used to make a lasting impact. 

Bio: Dr. John “Push” Gaines is a former at-risk kid turned CEO/Founder of nonprofit PUSH for Dreams, a Best-selling author, renowned speaker, leadership consultant, and mentorship advocate. His message of pushing through adversity and defying the odds has transformed classrooms, school districts, and businesses across the nation.

Dr. Gaines has heartfelt enthusiasm for his audience and embraces crucial subject matters with a highly organic, kind-hearted approach fueled by positivity and the intrinsic desire to unite community. Dr. Gaines is celebrated for nurturing youth & professionals through his own trauma, life experience, and unique challenges that ultimately became the driving force behind his mission and genuine desire to elevate and motivate students, teachers, administrators, professionals, and communities. Dr. Gaines was named one of the “Top 10 Most Influential People of 2020” by YAHOO News 2020. Dr. Gaines’ ability to relate to his audiences and help them imagine greater possibilities makes him so unique.

Dr. Gaines earned his nickname “PUSH” because he believes in the power of perseverance and teaches others to “keep pushing” through life’s obstacles to become the best version of themselves.

He has devoted himself to the world community. He has proudly appeared as a guest speaker at universities, corporations, national conferences, nonprofit events, NBA skill camps, school assemblies, and youth camps nationwide. As a graduate of East Central University, where he was named Outstanding Student in Business and won a football championship as captain of the football team, he is the picture of success. With a Master’s degree in Business Leadership and a Doctorate in Business Administration, he demonstrates outstanding dedication and personal achievement.

His greatest joy is being a Husband to Emily and a father to Anorah, Benny, and Jonah.

Explore practical MTSS strategies for teaching emotional regulation across all tiers. Gain ready-to-use tools that build resilience, strengthen school climate, and support students' academic, behavioral, and social-emotional success.

Bio: Ms. Gianna Giusti has been an educator in Alaska for 20 years and has dedicated the past 12 years to serving as the K-5 School Counselor at Hermon Hutchens Elementary School. She holds both a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Master of Education in School Counseling.

In 2019, Ms. Giusti served as President of the Alaska School Counselor Association Board. A passionate advocate for community wellness, she currently co-chairs the Sound Wellness Alliance (SWAN) Board and the Advocates for Victims of Violence (AVV) Board. She was recognized in 2023 when she was honored as the AKSCA School Counselor of the Year.

Ms. Giusti is proud to represent Valdez as a member of the Providence Foundation Board, where she continues to champion education and wellness initiatives.As an endurance athlete, Ms. Giusti embodies her belief that "Anything is possible," inspiring those around her with her determination and positivity.

Inspired by NPR, discover how a CTE-based Songahm Taekwondo school sport for students of all abilities became a national magnet program, attracting students nationwide while boosting enrollment, leadership, and career readiness in rural Alaska.

Bio: Rod Morrison is the Superintendent of the Southeast Island School District, where he has served for the past three years. With over two decades of experience in education, he is committed to creating positive school climates and ensuring all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Before becoming superintendent, Rod served as Principal of George H. Gilson Middle School in Valdez, Alaska. During his tenure, he also took on district leadership roles, including Activities Director, and helped guide major school improvement efforts. His leadership has been recognized with honors such as Alaska State Secondary Principal of the Year.

Rod has been an active leader at the state level, serving as President of the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals and President of the Alaska Council of School Administrators. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Education and a master’s degree in Educational Technology.

He currently serves on the SERRC (Southeast Regional Resource Center) Board, supporting regional collaboration and professional learning across Southeast Alaska.

Rod is passionate about creating hope and believes in building inclusive, supportive environments where students and staff can thrive.

Bio: Dometrius Hill was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. As a “military brat,” Dometrius was afforded the opportunity to live in many places throughout the United States and Cuba. After graduating from High School in Pittsburg, Texas, he enlisted in the United States Navy. While in the Navy, he was accepted to and graduated from the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) Program in San Diego, CA. Dometrius was fortunate to have attended several higher education institutions (University of Texas at Austin, Prairie View A&M University, and a course at Rice University) during his undergraduate years as a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC). Dometrius received his Bachelor of Science from Prairie View A&M University, with a major in Journalism and minors in Math and Naval Science. Upon his graduation from Prairie View A&M University, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps (USMC). While serving as a commissioned officer in the USMC, he earned his Master of Science degree from Troy State University. Dometrius has always been associated with teaching of some kind. He has been a certified American Taekwondo Association (ATA) instructor since the age of sixteen. He has held several posts in the service that required him to instruct his fellow sailors and Marines. While developing and overseeing a curriculum-based martial arts program for one of his students at Texas A&M University-Commerce, he was admitted to the graduate school to work on a doctorate in education degree. It was shortly after being accepted to the graduate school that he began his employment for Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. He has served as the Dean of Students, the Dean Academic Success and professor for Tyler Junior College. He later went on to serve as the Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Research for Jarvis Christian College and then served as the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs for Lee College in Baytown, Texas. While at Lee College he created the only accredited college Martial Arts degree in the country. He then went on to serve as the Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Southern University at Shreveport Louisiana (SUSLA). He is currently serving as the principal for two charter schools Premier High School and Texas Works in Longview and Tyler, Texas. He has created a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway for Songahm Taekwondo instruction that has been adopted by Southeast Island School District (SISD) in Whale Pass, Alaska and has been submitted to Texas Education Association (TEA) for an accredited pathway in Texas. In addition to his career in higher education, Dometrius is a multi-martial arts club owner with the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), a registered Amateur Mixed Martial Arts fight promoter in the state of Texas, and currently holds the rank of seventh-degree black and the title of Senior Master instructor in the ATA. Dometrius believes that all things are possible through Jesus Christ and is blessed to have an amazing and supportive family.

This presentation explores how artificial intelligence chatbots can transform suicide prevention efforts among Alaskan youth by highlighting both its potential and its risks.

Bio: Sakshi Khurana is a clinician at Alaska Behavioral Health Child & Family Clinic, a second-year PsyD student at Alaska Pacific University, and a Research Fellow at the Harvard Lab for Youth Mental Health. Her current research work involves developing and testing artificial intelligence tools in the IES-funded meta-analysis of school-based mental health interventions. Sakshi holds a master’s in clinical psychology from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in India and a master’s in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, specializing in prevention science and practice. Her research interests include using artificial intelligence for mental health care, specifically for suicide prevention among children and youth. While not at work, Sakshi enjoys cooking, singing, and participating in her SGI Buddhist activities.

Bio: Dr. Andrews is the founder and owner of A Step Forward Counseling and Consulting, LLC where she provides culturally responsive, resilience focused mental health services. Dr. Andrews is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Alaska Pacific University. In addition, she serves as the chairperson of the Alaska Statewide Suicide Prevention Council and is a member of the Alaska Mental Health Board. Additionally, she is on the Alaska Psychological Association’s Board of Directors. Futhermore, Dr. Andrews is a monthly host on Alaska Public Media's Line One: Your Health Connection.

Dr. Andrews is a licensed mental health provider. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and went on to earn both her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Counseling Psychology from Alaska Pacific University. Her research focuses on resilience and protective factors associated with suicide prevention, with a strong emphasis on integrating culturally informed frameworks and supporting diverse communities.

Dr. Andrews has served as a proud Alaska Army National Guard soldier since 2006 in various roles such as a Victim Advocate, Master Resilience Trainer, Suicide Prevention Specialist, and an Equal Opportunity Specialist. Across her professional and military roles, she remains committed to advancing mental health equity, evidence-based approaches to healing and wellbeing.

Build resilience, reduce stigma and help students recognize concerns and support with one resource in the NAMI toolkit designed specifically for raising awareness about mental wellbeing to support excellent education for students.

Bio: Former Alaska State Commissioner of Education Dr. Shirley Holloway, who was instrumental in developing the FLARE program in collaboration with University of Texas at Austin, and University of Oregon, will share its development, implementation, and outcomes. The session includes a demonstration of the FLARE program, followed by a question-and-answer period and practical resources for participants. This presentation aligns with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development's mission by providing evidence-based tools and leadership that support student well-being while advancing NAMI's mission to reduce the stigma of mental illness through education, advocacy, and community engagement.

Bio: Former Alaska State Commissioner of Education Dr. Shirley Holloway, who was instrumental in developing the FLARE program in collaboration with University of Texas at Austin, and University of Oregon, will share its development, implementation, and outcomes. The session includes a demonstration of the FLARE program, followed by a question-and-answer period and practical resources for participants. This presentation aligns with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development's mission by providing evidence-based tools and leadership that support student well-being while advancing NAMI's mission to reduce the stigma of mental illness through education, advocacy, and community engagement.

Ann Ringstad, a lifelong Alaskan, serves as Executive Director of NAMI Alaska, the statewide affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, leading efforts to end the stigma surrounding mental health conditions. Drawing on an extensive career in government relations, advocacy, fundraising, and nonprofit leadership, she brings strategic expertise to building partnerships and advancing public policy. She believes that strong relationships are the foundation of meaningful change, especially in Alaska, where connected communities create lasting impact.

The Regional Educational Laboratory that serves the Northwest will share a student engagement improvement guide, a suite of short videos to support implementation, and a collection of briefs describing evidence-based student engagement strategies.

Bio: Matt Eide, Ed.D., is the training, coaching, and technical support lead for Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest and a Managing Senior Education Improvement Specialist at Marzano Research. Matt works with practitioners and policymakers across the Northwest, helping them use data and evidence to improve outcomes for students. This work included a partnership with AK DEED to help Alaskan alternative schools improve student engagement. He is a former teacher, school administrator, and district leader.

Bio: Steven Tedeschi, M.A., is a researcher at Marzano Research and provides training, coaching, and technical assistance through the Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest (REL Northwest). He partners with educators, school leaders, and state education agencies across the Northwest to help them use data and evidence to improve student outcomes. His work includes collaborating with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (AK DEED) to support alternative schools in strengthening student engagement. Steven is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and former teacher who taught in tribal, charter, and traditional public schools before joining Marzano Research.

Description:

A student once said to me, “Can you kick it with a flava?”
Students taught me more about teaching than any of my college professors.

This session examines how students learn, why discipline must be more compassionate and that relationships are key.

Here are the seven lessons that will be discussed with stories and strategies that my students taught me to help you teach.
1. Teach the way they learn.
2. When students cry for help, we punish them.
3. Some students are invisible.
4. If you can’t relate, nothing else really matters.
5. Treat problems, not symptoms, especially with mental health.
6. Students need the 3 F’s- family, friends and faith. And want the 3 H’s- honesty, humor and hope.
7. Facts are forgotten, feelings last forever.

And then, we will explore the lessons that your students taught you. As a lasting note to my former students who have taught me so much, I would like to say belatedly, “Thank you. I now understand. Sorry it took so long.”

Bio: Dr. Stephen Sroka failed the third-grade. He was raised in the “projects" by a single mother on welfare. In ES, he was mocked for having a crossed eye and a speech impediment. He was injured in a HS fight, and in a wheelchair for a year. Doctors said, “Listen to your teachers.” The more he listened, the smarter the teachers became. His HS counselor told him that he didn’t have the IQ to go to college, but he didn’t know that Steve had the I WILL. He learned to live with the gifts of ADHD and dyslexia. His struggles to become a teacher made him a better educator.

He went from the “projects” to being inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. He was awarded The Walt Disney American Outstanding Teacher of Health and received the Outstanding School Health Educator Award and Fellow status from the American School Health Association. He was named the Person of the Year for The International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention and received the first-ever School Health Leader Award from the American Public Health Association. Recently, he received the National Association of School Nurses 2025 President’s Recognition Award. He has been covered in Education Week, The New York Times, Campus Safety Magazine and K-12 DIVE. But his favorite “award” was when his then 6-year-old daughter told him he was smarter than Inspector Gadget.

He has worked in schools (and on Native American Reservations) for over 50 years, including teaching, administration, and providing crisis intervention for 30 years in the Cleveland Public Schools. He has keynoted many major educational conferences including NSBA, AASA, NASN, NASSP, NASRO, DARE, SSWAA, STN EXPO, DEA, PTA, NASP, NEA, AFT, UNITY, US Dept of Ed, and others.

He has traveled the world striving to reach, elevate and inspire with The Power of One message, how one person can make a difference. Steve had a cardiac arrest while presenting a school in-service. A principal, superintendent, two SROs, two school psychologists and others saved his life and changed his message. He now talks about how you need The Power of Many, how it takes a team, to make a lasting difference.

Today, Dr. Stephen Sroka is a motivational speaker, award-winning teacher, author, consultant, and adjunct assistant professor at the School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and President of Health Education Consultants.

Description:

Key Objectives:
- Understand the powerful role belief plays in shaping a young person's identity and future.
- Learn practical ways to communicate belief through everyday interactions.
- Explore how words, consistency, and relationships help young people build confidence and resilience.
- Develop simple strategies to become the trusted adult every young person needs.

Bio: Dr. Stephen Sroka failed the third-grade. He was raised in the “projects" by a single mother on welfare. In ES, he was mocked for having a crossed eye and a speech impediment. He was injured in a HS fight, and in a wheelchair for a year. Doctors said, “Listen to your teachers.” The more he listened, the smarter the teachers became. His HS counselor told him that he didn’t have the IQ to go to college, but he didn’t know that Steve had the I WILL. He learned to live with the gifts of ADHD and dyslexia. His struggles to become a teacher made him a better educator.

He went from the “projects” to being inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. He was awarded The Walt Disney American Outstanding Teacher of Health and received the Outstanding School Health Educator Award and Fellow status from the American School Health Association. He was named the Person of the Year for The International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention and received the first-ever School Health Leader Award from the American Public Health Association. Recently, he received the National Association of School Nurses 2025 President’s Recognition Award. He has been covered in Education Week, The New York Times, Campus Safety Magazine and K-12 DIVE. But his favorite “award” was when his then 6-year-old daughter told him he was smarter than Inspector Gadget.

He has worked in schools (and on Native American Reservations) for over 50 years, including teaching, administration, and providing crisis intervention for 30 years in the Cleveland Public Schools. He has keynoted many major educational conferences including NSBA, AASA, NASN, NASSP, NASRO, DARE, SSWAA, STN EXPO, DEA, PTA, NASP, NEA, AFT, UNITY, US Dept of Ed, and others.

He has traveled the world striving to reach, elevate and inspire with The Power of One message, how one person can make a difference. Steve had a cardiac arrest while presenting a school in-service. A principal, superintendent, two SROs, two school psychologists and others saved his life and changed his message. He now talks about how you need The Power of Many, how it takes a team, to make a lasting difference.

Today, Dr. Stephen Sroka is a motivational speaker, award-winning teacher, author, consultant, and adjunct assistant professor at the School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and President of Health Education Consultants.

Staff systems to grow positive energy, organized planning, and cooperation. Try out organizational system ideas that you can modify for your own needs. Ideas include building paraprofessional dynamics, meeting systems, and growing collaboration.

Bio: Ginger Crockett has served as an educator and educational leader in rural Alaska for nearly three decades, including 15 years as principal of Brevig Mission School. She and her husband have raised four children in the community, and she is recognized for her work in schoolwide social-emotional learning, restorative practices, student leadership, and innovative approaches to building positive school culture in rural schools. Ginger was named the 2025 Alaska Region I Principal of the Year and currently serves as Alaska's National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal for 2025–2026.

Bio: Raymond Cornelio is a third-grade teacher at Brevig Mission School who brings more than 10 years of international teaching experience to his work with students. Recently featured in Global Filipino Magazine, Raymond is beginning his principal internship this year and has emerged as a promising educational leader. Known for his energy, creativity, and commitment to excellence, he inspires students and colleagues alike through his ability to approach challenges with grace, optimism, and a deep belief in the potential of every learner.

Description:

This session will provide an overview of the PREPaRE curriculum and its role in strengthening school safety, crisis prevention, emergency response, and recovery planning within school systems. Participants will explore how PREPaRE supports comprehensive crisis management efforts while aligning with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework through prevention, intervention, and postvention practices that promote student and staff well-being. PREPaRE is featured in the Suicide Prevention Resource Center Best Practices Registry, highlighting its evidence-informed approach to school crisis preparedness and response. This session will provide practical guidance and opportunities for participants to consider how PREPaRE concepts and practices can be implemented and integrated within their own school districts. Information about opportunities to access PREPaRE training in Alaska will also be shared to support local capacity-building and sustainable crisis response efforts.

Bio: Dr. Hattie Harvey is a Professor and Program Director of the MS in School Psychology - Specialist program at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Program Coordinator for the Graduate Certificate in Children's Mental Health. She is the founder of the new school psychology graduate program, which launched in Fall 2026. Her teaching and research focuses on early intervention for challenging behaviors and social-emotional development, collaboration and consultation in schools, and research methods aimed to support the use of data-based decision making. Dr. Harvey co-led the development and integration of the PREPaRE curriculum into the graduate school psychology training program.

Dr. Harvey has practiced as a School Psychologist in the Anchorage School District, has served as the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant at Cook Inlet Native Head Start, and continues to be involved in consultation work across Alaska school districts and Head Start programs in supporting early childhood mental health.

Dr. Harvey oversees numerous U.S. Department of Education personnel preparation grants, including Project BLENDS and Project iSPARRC, both aimed at increasing the capacity of professionals prepared to provide interdisciplinary, culturally-responsive, and family-centered intervention services to children and youth. She is the author of several peer-reviewed journal articles on topics including using behavioral function-based interventions, supports for youth with FASDs, early childhood assessment and intervention, and the use of family-centered practices in early childhood settings.

Bio: Dr. Doss is a clinically licensed psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist that has worked in schools and private practice. In her current position, she specializes in providing expert guidance and support in school safety systems and accounting for the mental health and well-being of students and staff.

Bio: Linda Self is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist with 25 years of experience in the Anchorage School District. For the past 11 years, she has served as School Psychology Lead, providing leadership and support to the district’s 46 school psychologists and interns. In this role, she provides mentorship, coordinates professional development, and collaborates with district leadership on system-level initiatives designed to improve outcomes for students and schools. Her professional interests include developing sustainable districtwide crisis response systems, strengthening the delivery of comprehensive school psychological services, and addressing the school psychology workforce shortage through training pipelines that recruit, prepare, and support future school psychologists in meeting the evolving needs of schools.

It has been more than ten years since the Alaska Safe Children's Act (Erin and Bree's Law) has been in place. School districts across the state are teaching students how to prevent both sexual abuse and dating violence. This session will share the latest statewide data and offer practical ways to inform parents, leverage community partners, access professional development resources for staff, and prepare for disclosures from students.

This interactive session includes presented materials and peer-to-peer dialogue, including a Q&A panel featuring a community partner, a youth group, and an educator to share their experiences implementing the Alaska Safe Children’s Act. Participants will leave with resource packets – including templates, implementation guides, and new teen dating violence awareness materials – to help make lessons stick with students, plus connections to an ongoing community of practice.

Bio: Patrick Sidmore joined the DEED team three years ago coming from the Division of Public Health where he was the Healthy Schools Specialist. He has also worked for the association of Alaska School Boards and the Alaska Mental Health Board. His focus is on Title IV-A, the Safe Children’s Act, and other school health and safety related topics. He has worked with DEED health and safety team for a decade, developing the trauma-engaged schools’ resources and other initiatives. He has presented on the topics of resilience more than 270 times across Alaska. He holds degrees in clinical social work and in economics as well as studying elementary education.

Bio: Emily Stockey (she/her) is a Research Associate III at Strategic Prevention Solutions (SPS), a public health research and evaluation firm based in Juneau, Alaska. With nearly a decade of experience, she specializes in community-based research and evaluation addressing sexual violence, domestic violence, teen dating violence, mental health, and substance use, using implementation science to help communities turn evidence-based strategies into sustainable action. She holds a B.A. from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and is pursuing an M.P.H. at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health as a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow in the focus area of Violence.

Since 2022, Mrs. Stockey and her colleagues at SPS have worked with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) to provide evaluation, planning, and technical assistance support for the Alaska Safe Children's Act (ASCA), including monitoring and evaluating the state-developed ASCA curriculum for students in grades 7-12. The SPS team collaborates with DEED to host the ASCA Community of Practice, a statewide group of educators who meet monthly to learn from one another and strengthen implementation of the ASCA; registration is open to educators statewide who wish to join. The SPS team has also created numerous infographic resources and tools to raise awareness and improve the way districts and educators implement the ASCA, including implementation guides. Together, these efforts focus on increasing implementation, strengthening school safety, deepening community and family engagement, and equipping students across Alaska with the skills and behaviors to live safe, healthy, and full lives.

To truly "Raise the Sails" for Alaska’s staff and students, we must secure the mast of psychological safety and educator wellness. This interactive, district-led session bridges the gap between whole-child support and daily practice. Featuring a collaborative panel of district practitioners and partners, we will explore how the Full-Color Web of Support™ framework can transform school climates. Participants will learn how "reversing the MTSS triangle" helps prevent staff burnout, how intentional co-regulation reduces stress, and how building caring connections shields students from trauma. Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of how to create supportive environments where connection—not compliance—drives staff and student success.

Bio: David's combined 20 years of experience working with youth in direct care and administration in both the private and public sector has equipped him with a unique lens through which to see youth in Alaska and beyond. He was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and has had the privilege to live in that state's rural communities, as well as Northern California. Throughout his career, the training he has received from some of the top youth and experiential education professionals in the U.S. and Canada provides him with a solid understanding of what youth need to succeed. David brings a fresh perspective on supporting and guiding youth through their life and career paths; understanding that life is a journey in which growth and learning have no end.

Bio: Rod Morrison is the Superintendent of the Southeast Island School District, where he has served for the past three years. With over two decades of experience in education, he is committed to creating positive school climates and ensuring all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Before becoming superintendent, Rod served as Principal of George H. Gilson Middle School in Valdez, Alaska. During his tenure, he also took on district leadership roles, including Activities Director, and helped guide major school improvement efforts. His leadership has been recognized with honors such as Alaska State Secondary Principal of the Year.

Rod has been an active leader at the state level, serving as President of the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals and President of the Alaska Council of School Administrators. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Education and a master’s degree in Educational Technology.

He currently serves on the SERRC (Southeast Regional Resource Center) Board, supporting regional collaboration and professional learning across Southeast Alaska.

Rod is passionate about creating hope and believes in building inclusive, supportive environments where students and staff can thrive.

Bio: Conrad Woodhead, M.Ed. is the Director of Career and Technical Education and Residential Programs for the Lower Yukon School District, where he leads Kusilvak Career Academy (KCA), Alaska's DEED FY25 Culturally Responsive Career and Technical Education Program of the Year.

With 25 years of experience in Alaska education spanning both rural and road system schools, Woodhead specializes in designing innovative systems that expand access to career-connected learning through statewide partnerships. He is the architect of the KCA Consortium Model, which brings together K–12, university programs, industry, nonprofit organizations, and workforce partners to create sustainable pathways connecting education and Alaska's workforce.

Woodhead is currently pursuing an interdisciplinary Ph.D. at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where his research focuses on residential program safety systems that support students from rural Alaska.

Bio: Beth has spent the last 35 years in education as a teacher, administrator and instructional coach. She is also the author of “Love Your Job Longer.”

Positive school climate is the foundation for safe, supportive, and successful schools. We will explore practical, schoolwide strategies for strengthening relationships, increasing student connection, and creating positive conditions for learning.

Bio: Hannah (she/her) is the School Climate and Trauma-Engaged Schools Coordinator with AASB. A former classroom teacher and public health professional, she partners with schools to create safe, supportive learning environments where staff and students can thrive. Hannah designs and facilitates professional learning on school climate, trauma-engaged practices, and the impact of stress on learning, helping schools build cultures of safety, connection, and belonging.

Bio: Kami Moore, serves as the School Climate and Connectedness Manager for the Association of Alaska School Boards. An advocate for Alaska’s youth, Kami has spent 17 years working at the intersection of education and public health in Alaska, and is passionate about building connected, resilient school communities.

This presentation will present data on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Protective Childhood Experiences (PCEs). Diving specifically into bullying, suspensions, suicidality, and alcohol/substance use.

Bio: Riley Fitting is an injury prevention epidemiologist at the Alaska Division of Public Health, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and lives and works on the land of the Dena’ina. Riley’s work is focused on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) surveillance, suicide epidemiology, and studying injuries that resulted from violence, poisoning, transportation, and falling. His ACEs surveillance work includes analyzing data from the Overcoming ACEs with Resilience Survey, which measured protective and adverse childhood events and adult health outcomes in Alaska and developing the Alaska Childhood Experiences Data Resource Center. Riley’s other projects include maintaining the Alaska Suicide Dashboard, writing scientific publications about injuries across the state, and adapting large language models for injury data analysis.