CCEA Plus 2025 Surf's Up! Riding the Waves of Opportunity

The Office of School Health-Based Programs is dedicated to supporting the mental, behavioral, and physical health of our school communities. In our session, "Every Child is One Caring Adult Away from Changing Their Narrative," participants will learn about key initiatives from our office that support school communities in creating environments of belonging and connectedness. We will explore the vital role that addressing the whole child—focusing on their mental, physical, and emotional well-being—plays in fostering student success. We recognize that expecting students to excel without this support is unrealistic, and by ensuring every child has the care they need, we can help transform their narratives and promote thriving school communities.

Getting students to collaborate in meaningful ways is hard work. This session aims to create a structured approach to build collaboration in the alternative classroom. We will discuss practical techniques to first build a foundation for conversations in which all students feel safe and confident to participate. We will also explore structured conversation strategies to facilitate group discussions. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to implement in their classrooms.

In this workshop, we will look at the foundational aspects of behavior and how childhood experiences can shape a person’s behavior and academic success. The experiences that happen in early childhood have an impact on our brains, and we will go through just enough neurobiology so that you can impress your friends and coworkers who did not attend this workshop. We will see what is going on in the brain when a person experiences trauma, particularly at a young age. These behavioral changes apply to both students and adults! 

In this workshop, we will pick up where Part 1 left off and explore how we can help correct behavior that comes from childhood trauma. This is the “good news” half of the presentation. The neurobiological changes we saw in Part 1 are not life sentences! The brain changes, and we can help even our most challenging students (and coworkers) to respond in more prosocial ways. This workshop will have both long-term strategies for creating a campus that can change kids as well as immediate, “try this on Monday” strategies to survive until the end of the school year. 

This presentation will address everything you need to know about building your Model School Application. Components of the Review Process will be reviewed as well as strengths and challenges of the written application and site visit expectations. Be prepared with questions you may have as we will go through every section of the application.

Members of the CCEA Plus Board will be available in an open question and answer session to respond to your questions about the New and Improved Model Continuation High School and Model Community Day School Recognition Programs.

First we will use a diagnostic tool to assess our and our students' various learning, communication and personality styles. Then we will explore a variety of lessons that engage students of all learning, communication and personality styles.

Digital Beats and Historical Feats is designed specifically for alternative high school environments where student engagement and relevance are key. This session explores how music, especially hip hop and protest songs, can be used to teach U.S. History through a culturally responsive approach grounded in Universal Design for Learning. Attendees will learn how to connect historical events to modern social movements and student experiences using accessible tech tools and classroom-tested strategies. One featured activity, Soundtrack of My Life, invites students to select songs that reflect key moments in their personal journey, helping them make meaningful connections between their lived experiences and broader historical themes. This presentation gives continuation school educators practical tools to tap into student creativity, build emotional connection, and foster deeper learning, all while aligning with academic standards in a way that truly resonates with our students.