National Center for Youth Issues, a Chattanooga-based, youth development group, in conjunction with the Hamilton County Schools, will host the 13th Annual Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives - Chattanooga Summit at Christ United Methodist Church in East Brainerd on Friday, Sept. 7, from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
The main speakers at the Summit will be Dan St. Romain and Scott Ridgeway.
Mr. St. Romain is a nationally acclaimed educational consultant who provides staff development and consultative services to K-12 school counselors and other educators. He is passionate about helping individuals shift their perspective on behavior, understanding the best ways to provide support given the challenges posed in today’s society. Mr. St. Romain regularly presents on topics impacting school climate, brain-based instruction, developmentally appropriate educational practices and presentation skills. Although his sessions are interactive and engaging, his greatest asset lies in his ability to offer participants insight into the connectedness between educational practices and student behavior. His sessions at the Summit are titled: Teach Skills and Break Habits: Growth-Mindsets for Better Behavior in the Classroom and Positive Behavior Principles.
Mr. Ridgeway has served as Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network’s executive director since 2001. He works closely with TSPN’s gubernatorially-appointed Advisory Council to implement suicide prevention strategies within the state of Tennessee. His session at the Summit is titled: Suicide Prevention in Schools - “Putting a Plan in Place” and Responding to a Suicide Death at School or in the Community.
The Summit will provide professional development training for 250+ school counselors, social workers, psychologists and principals in 95 Hamilton County public and private schools. Fifteen local, regional and national organizations that provide support services to this group of professionals will have exhibits at the event to share the programs and services they have to offer.
In addition to training, participating schools will be given $250 in counseling resources to supplement their school’s library of materials available to help counselors and social workers.
Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union is the lead corporate sponsor of the event, and they join the Weldon F. Osborne Foundation, the Ward Family Foundation, the Hamico Foundation, Inc., Ace Hardware, Covenant Transport and Southern Champion Tray as major supporters. The Hamilton County Department of Education is also contributing support, as well as several other corporations, foundations, and individuals.
For more information on the 2018 Healthy Choices for Youth Chattanooga Summit, call Robert Rabon at National Center for Youth Issues at 309-4300.