The Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring a hybrid in-person and virtual conference focused on school attendance.
WHEN:
Tuesday, Oct. 3, from 8:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School, 565 Maple Street, Danvers, MA 01932
WHO:
- Patrick Tutwiler, Ph.D., Massachusetts Secretary of Education
- Jeffrey Riley, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Stephen Zrike, Ed.D., Superintendent, Salem Public Schools
- Michael Moriarty, Esq., Member, Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Mia Riccio, M.S., C.A.G.S., Director of MTSS, Salem Public Schools
- Nyal Fuentes, Educational Specialist, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Rachelle Engler Bennett, Associate Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
WHAT:
Every year, MPY kicks off their conference season with the annual School Attendance Summit. The “School Attendance Summit – New Challenges and Opportunities” will be held in hybrid format at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical High School in Danvers on October 3, 2023, with a focus on current trends and issues impacting school attendance.
After a welcome by Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secretary Education Jeffrey Riley, keynote speaker Massachusetts Secretary of Education Dr. Tutwiler will address organizational and policy practices impacting school attendance and suspension/exclusion from school.
Conference speakers will examine data related to school attendance and truancy rates and trends, how to enhance inclusive supports in schools to curtail suspension and expulsions, as well as ways to address the challenges facing schools as mental/behavioral health concerns accelerate.
A follow-up hybrid conference will be held on Oct. 24 at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School. “Cultivating Supportive School and Classroom Environments” will focus on preventing the use of long-term suspensions and expulsions. Data shows suspensions and expulsions disparately impact students with disabilities and/or students of color. This conference will address alternative remedies to employ before considering student suspension in direct response to a specific incident. From Massachusetts Department of Education policy to district practices, participants will learn alternative remedies to discipline including mediation, conflict resolution, restorative justice, and collaborative problem solving.
About the Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc.
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides training, fosters collaboration, and develops programming to increase the health and safety of students. MPY is committed to bringing cutting-edge information and high-quality trainings to constituents and endeavors to provide solution-oriented, community-based, multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing and ideally eliminating risky behaviors for youth.
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth is governed by a Board of Directors made up of school superintendents, police and fire chiefs, and other community leaders who work closely with MPY staff to deliver this mission. To learn more, visit: https://massachusettspartnershipsforyouth.com/.