“School and Family Engagement: Building Stronger Connections”---(Designed for ENL and Non-ENL Families)

Developing sustainable partnerships is rooted in mutual trust and respect. This interactive workshop explores practical strategies for fostering meaningful partnerships between schools and families. Participants will learn practical tools to enhance communication, build confidence, and encourage active family involvement in student learning. Designed for educators, school staff, and family liaisons, this session emphasizes collaboration, cultural responsiveness, and shared responsibility in supporting student success.

“Cross-Cultural Communication and Cultural Humility” Presented by Dr. Janice Kelly
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Participants will understand how to communicate in ways that are effective, welcoming, and respectful to all cultures. We will explore your communication styles, making you a better team member and collaborator. We will examine examples of different cultural communication styles and strategies to build rapport and inclusive and safer work environments for people from all cultures. We will explore how our unconscious biases lead to strained cross-cultural communication, discuss privileged identities, and use Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension Theory to identify key practical differences between specific cultures and countries.

“Crucial Conversation for Educators: Developing Effective Communication Skills” Presented by Dr. Janice Kelly

We’re constantly having conversations and connecting with others around us. Tough conversations occur in various settings, including professional and personal contexts, among family members, and within our individual lives. In this workshop, we will explore how to navigate challenging and crucial conversations and develop skills to create safe spaces for conversations to exist. This workshop uses best-practice strategies, role-playing exercises, and case studies.

“Empathic Listening Skills” Presented by Dr. Janice Kelly

Validation and empathy are critical forms of communication when creating and nurturing an environment of inclusion and belonging. Empathic listening is the skill of being considerate and responsive to someone else’s opinions during a dialogue. This workshop focuses on best practices for strengthening relationships with students, colleagues, and the community by demonstrating empathic listening, feedback, and information-gathering skills.

“Verbal De-escalation: Building Trust & Understanding in Conversation” Presented by Dr. Janice Kelly

This workshop teaches clear and straightforward tactics that can be practiced and easily recalled in stressful situations. The training provides several best-practice communication skills proven to help de-escalate volatile situations.

Key Concepts Covered:
-How do tone of voice, pacing, and other verbal and non-verbal cues impact interpersonal experiences?
-Concrete techniques to improve conflict-resolution skills.
-Utilizing communication skills to build relationships based on mutual trust and understanding.
-“Gracious Space” and positive self-talk that fosters well-being (self-wellness).