Wednesday, December 9, 2020
1:15 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. (85 minutes)
1:15 – 1:35 p.m – Keynote: Opening Session (Stuart Roe)
Anyone working in a school setting knows students who have experienced trauma in one form or another. In the past few months, the realities of our world have added to the list of concerns that youth must learn to navigate. Knowing how to work with students who have experienced trauma, both one on one and in classroom settings, is important to helping these students adjust socially and emotionally. In this brief intro, we will highlight the impact and a few practical techniques for addressing trauma one on one and in the classroom.
1:40-2:40 p.m. – Workshop Presentations
Trauma-Informed Care and Healthy Masculinity
Zach Gall (gall4@tcnj.edu) is a staff therapist and prevention education specialist with Anti-Violence Initiatives at The College of New Jersey. This session will focus on the way we socialize boys and men, how this can itself be traumatic, and how our own ways of thinking as part of this social system may impact boys’ learning. We will discuss what we as educators can do to make change (and see results) through trauma-informed practice.
‘Why Won’t They Turn Their Cameras On?” Trauma-Informed Education: A Cultural Perspective During A Pandemic
Paula Bethea (ppbethea@trenton.k12.nj.us) is a 10-year Principal in the Trenton Public Schools district. Paula began her career as an educator working as a preschool teacher in Trenton, a first grade teacher at Granville Charter School, and for Trenton Public Schools as a fourth grade teacher then as a reading coach. Paula obtained her Masters Degree in both Curriculum, Assessment and Supervision and matriculation in the Educational Administration program. Paula Bethea then became a Vice Principal in 2005 and in 2010 a Principal. Paula also supports rising administrators as a University of Pennsylvania Mentor in the Graduate Education Program and for the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association as a mentor for novice administrators. Paula’s passion is culturally responsive teaching as it relates to building a firm foundation of growth in and relationship building in both schools and in classrooms.
Human Trafficking and Trauma
Brit Olsen (bjo@womanspace.org) is the Domestic Violence Liaison between Womanspace and the Division of Child Protection and Permanency. Brit retired as a 26 year Detective with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office where she worked as a forensic interviewer within the Special Victim’s Unit, participated in the NJ Governor’s Human Trafficking Task Force and the Child Abduction Response Team (CART) of Mercer County. This session will provide knowledge on the specific types of human trafficking that occur in New Jersey, will pinpoint behaviors a child involved in Human Trafficking may exhibit, and will provide information about how a child may be impacted.
Going Deeper into Strategies for Addressing Trauma in School/the Classroom
Howard S. Marks (hmarks@trenton.k12.nj.us), received his Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Special Education from York College of Pennsylvania. He has a Master’s Degree in education from Brooklyn College. He has a second Master’s Degree in counseling psychology from Holy Family University. Howard is a Nationally Certified and Licensed Therapist in the state of NJ. He has worked as a Special Education in New York City Public schools, Trenton City schools, private schools, and for the Philadelphia public school system. He has worked with a wide variety of individuals including; emotional support, specific learning disabilities, hearing impaired, Autistic, selective mutism, visually impaired, etc. In addition to working as a school counselor for Trenton Public School, He has worked at Mill Hill Behavioral Health as a therapist, Live Well Service (Intense Outpatient Program) for addiction and mental health therapy, CEPD (Center for Education and Personal Development) as a psychotherapist. This workshop will discuss the different signs/symptoms exhibited by students and practical strategies teachers can use with students in the classroom dealing with trauma.
Brian L’Oiseau (bloiseau@trenton.k12.nj.us) has been a Certified School Counselor in Trenton Public Schools for 16 years. He received his Bachelors in Psychology from Rutgers University in 2001. He received his Masters in Counselor Education from Kean University in 2004. Mr. L’Oiseau is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of New Jersey and has a 20 year history in the field of Mental Health. Mr. L’Oiseau has also been a National Board Certified Counselor (NCC) since 2004. Mr. L’Oiseau’s clinical skills and expertise has been of great value to the Trenton Public Schools students and families he has serviced over the years. Mr. L’Oiseau is currently the School Counselor at Harrison Elementary School, where he also serves as the Intervention & Referral Services (I&RS) Team Leader and Anti-Bullying Specialist (ABS). He is well known there for promoting positive character traits in students through guidance lessons he has taught using the Second Step and Character Counts 6-Pillars of Character programs. He finds great joy in providing individual and group school counseling to students, supporting their emotional, behavioral, and academic needs.
Dealing with Loss and Trauma
PJ Wenger, LPC (pjwenger22@gmail.com 908-675-5699) has 29 years of experience working in the field of mental health. She has spent considerable time in a variety of settings developing her counseling experience. These settings include psychiatric emergency, inpatient treatment with both adults and children, in home counseling for mental health issues, residential treatment, schools and private practice, Insights Counseling & Training Services. In the school setting, PJ Wenger has worked at the Elementary level, the Middle School level and the High School level. In addition to this experience, PJ has been a Trauma Responder at the Local, State and National Level. She has responded to large events like 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy as well as traumatic events that affect schools such as suicides, traumatic deaths of staff/students and homicides. PJ is licensed by the NJ State Board of Family and Health Practitioners and is a certified member of the National Board of Certified Counselors. She has a Masters in Counseling and an Ed.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Neighborhood Resources 101
Dr. Marc Freeman, (mfreeman@temple.edu) is a 26 year employee of Trenton Board of Education where he currently serves as the Student Assistance Coordinator for Trenton Central High School in Trenton, NJ. He received a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education from Temple University (PA) where his dissertation focused on using community wealth to understand the neighborhood level experiences of black male high school students. He is also an adjunct professor at the Silberman School of Social Work in Harlem, NY where he teaches Research I and II. Broadly speaking, his research focuses on black male high school students, urban neighborhoods and religiosity. As much of the research on urban neighborhoods focuses on crime, poverty and failing schools, this workshop aims to do the contrary by calling attention to the positive strengths and resources that all neighborhoods possess. Neighborhood level research will be presented and participants will work collaboratively to identify helpful educational, social and emotional resources in the city of Trenton.
Gun Violence and Trauma
Rob Fiorello (rfiorello@peikids.org)
Trauma and Social Capital: Social Connections Matter
Carolina Borges (borgesc@tcnj.edu) is a Social Epidemiologist, holds a position as an Associate Professor of Public Health at Department of Public Health, School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science at The College of New Jersey and a Visiting Scientist appointment at Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She is currently serving as Epidemiologist Consultant working at a local department of Health in NJ. She holds a PhD in Public Health, track in Oral Epidemiology (Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil) with a fellowship at Harvard C.H. Chan School of Public Health. She also holds a Master in Public Health (Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil), and an advanced training in Education, Instructional Design, at University of Wisconsin Stout. Dr. Borges research focuses on Social Epidemiology, Social Determinants of health targeting Social Capital and Social Networks, Health inequalities, and new technologies applied to health. Borges co-led a volunteer Humanitarian Medical mission in Haiti for three years in a row 2017-18-19 (1,000+ Haitians received individual care and health education). She serves as reviewer for 9 International peer journals and volunteers as APHA reviewer (sessions: Epidemiology; Oral Health), has 30 published papers, 1 book chapter and has taught Epidemiology to over 2,500 students (MPH, Med, Dental, Nursing and undergraduate).
Sexual Violence and Trauma
Abigail McGuire (aem@womanspace.org) is the Children’s Specialist at Womanspace, a nonprofit agency in Mercer County providing a comprehensive array of services to individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence. Womanspace’s mission is to prevent abuse, protect families, and change lives through empowerment and a safety net of supportive services. As the Children’s Specialist, Abbey provides counseling services to children ages 5 and older and supports non-offending parents in navigating the parenting challenges that arise as families begin to heal from abuse. She holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Lesley University. This workshop will focus on Sexual Violence, the impact of childhood trauma, and ways to support survivors.
*All sessions will be recorded and made available to participants after the event.