The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE), in collaboration with the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), the Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) and Mass Advocates for Children’s Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative, hosted over 340 educators from school districts across the Commonwealth at the Safe and Supportive Learning Environments: Bringing Together Social and Emotional Learning, Trauma Sensitivity & Positive Behavioral Approaches conference, held Wednesday in Leominster, MA.

District teams consisted of district and school leaders, classroom teachers and program coordinators, Head Start coordinators, and early childhood Coordinated Family and Engagement specialists (CFCE). Local schools and districts sent teams from New Salem, Wendell, Pioneer Valley Regional School District, Mohawk Trail Regional School District, and Gill-Montague Regional School Districts.

Dr. Jayne Singer, MassAIMH, Boston Children’s Hospital, Brazelton Touchpoints Center, presented the keynote address. Participants explored the development of social-emotional competencies via everyday learning opportunities, implementation of trauma informed practice, and the creation of supportive learning environments in community based programs, schools and districts. To have the time to process and reflect on the day, community team planning time was provided to share information learned, engage in vertical alignment of strategies and approaches and build relationships.