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Wednesday, April 30
 

7:30am PDT

Continental Breakfast
Wednesday April 30, 2025 7:30am - 8:15am PDT
TBA
Wednesday April 30, 2025 7:30am - 8:15am PDT
TBA

8:15am PDT

Transition/Break
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:15am - 8:30am PDT
TBA
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:15am - 8:30am PDT
TBA

8:30am PDT

Building the Foundation for Success: Early Identification, Intervention, and Best Practices for Attendance Strategies
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
Proactive attendance strategies and early interventions are vital for fostering student success. This session will focus on identifying at risk patterns of chronic absenteeism early in the school year and implementing best practices to promote consistent attendance. Attendees will gain practical tools aligned with CASCWA’s mission to enhance equity, integrate multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), and strengthen engagement with students and families. Designed for school and district administrators, support staff, and communities, this workshop provides actionable insights to help districts achieve their Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) goals while expanding professional learning communities across California and beyond.
Speakers
avatar for Marie-Helene Demers

Marie-Helene Demers

Senior Program Specialist-Child Welfare & Attendance, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Marie-Hélène Demers is a Senior Program Specialist at LACOE with over 8 years of dedicated experience in the field of education. She has held various roles, including Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor and Lead Counselor, where she provided consultations and training to counselors... Read More →
avatar for Andres Castro

Andres Castro

Senior Program Specialist, Child Welfare & Attendance, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Dr. Andres Castro serves as Senior Program Specialist for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. With a robust background in educational leadership and student support, they have previously dedicated 8 years as a school counselor and have excelled as a district administrator... Read More →
avatar for Toni Banuelos LCSW

Toni Banuelos LCSW

Senior Program Specialist-Child Welfare & Attendance, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
  Attendance

8:30am PDT

Interdistrict Transfers - When Can I Say No?
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
This presentation will give site and District administrators the tools to develop defensible ways to limit interdistrict transfers when allowing such transfers will cause an impact to programs.  We will explore discrimination issues, staffing issues and appeals to County Office.
Speakers
avatar for Lauri Arrowsmith

Lauri Arrowsmith

Senior Counsel, Lozano Smith Attorneys at Law
Lauri Arrowsmith is Senior Counsel in Lozano Smith's San Diego office. Ms. Arrowsmith focuses on helping school districts handle complex special education issues in a variety of settings, including IEP meetings, mediations and due process hearings. With her many years of experience... Read More →
avatar for Amanda Cordova

Amanda Cordova

Attorney, Lozano Smith
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
  Attendance

8:30am PDT

Streamlining Success: Attendance Processes and Protocols for Improvement
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
Effective attendance management is a cornerstone of student achievement and school success. This workshop provides school leaders, attendance teams, and support staff with the tools and strategies necessary to enhance attendance protocols, reduce chronic absenteeism, and foster a culture of engagement and accountability.

Participants will learn how to streamline attendance tracking processes, develop clear and actionable policies, and leverage data to identify trends and intervene early. The session will include best practices for building strong communication channels with families, cultivating collaborative partnerships, and integrating technology to optimize efficiency.

Through interactive discussions and hands-on exercises, attendees will leave equipped to implement practical, scalable solutions that improve attendance rates and support student success.
Speakers
avatar for Laura Collins-Williams

Laura Collins-Williams

Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Beverly Hills Unified School District
Laura Collins-Williams serves as the Assistant Superintendent for Student Services in the Beverly Hills Unified School District, where she oversees a wide range of programs, including special education, student health and psychological services, discipline, attendance, safety, and... Read More →
avatar for Dr. Ben Wardrop

Dr. Ben Wardrop

Director, Student Services, Beverly Hills USD
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
  Attendance

8:30am PDT

Building a District-Wide Culture of Attendance: Garden Grove's Journey to Sustainable Success
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
  Climate & Culture, Sponsor

8:30am PDT

Support Over Suspension: Building Bridges for Student Wellness
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
Join us as we explore ways to implement and strengthen alternatives to suspension for substance use in schools. We will review strategies for gaining buy-in, showcase youth insights, and build your capacity to reframe the issue from discipline and punishment to meaningful student support. Participants will be introduced to a comprehensive toolkit with step-by-step guidance and resources to help districts and schools adopt supportive approaches effectively.
Speakers
avatar for Stephan Lambert

Stephan Lambert

Prevention Coordinator, Orange County Department of Education
Stephan Lambert is the Prevention Coordinator at the Orange County Department of Education. He has sixteen years of experience in substance use prevention, positive youth development, family and community engagement, and developmental asset building. In his role at OCDE, he supports... Read More →
avatar for Samantha Kelley

Samantha Kelley

Program Specialist, Orange County Department of Education
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
  Health & Wellness

8:30am PDT

Required Components of Comprehensive School Safety Plans (CSSPs), is there a template, what are all the new laws?
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
Schools are required to have CSSP’s, a collection of procedures used in emergencies and to promote a safe learning environment. A State Auditor report found a majority of CSSP’s are not compliant, creating an environment for inadequate emergency response that may put people’s safety at risk. This class will discuss the components of a CSSP including methods to improve school climate and physical environment and answer FAQ’s about items such as due dates and templates. The class is based on the Educator’s Guide to Comprehensive School Safety Plans. It is the legislative intent this guide be used in developing CSSP’s.
Speakers
avatar for Tom Steele

Tom Steele

Consultant, Campus Safety Group
After retiring from law enforcement, Tom Steele entered education, becoming a high school teacher, site administrator, Director of Student Services, and a Safe Schools and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Consultant II at the Los Angeles County Office of Education... Read More →
Wednesday April 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
TBA
  School Safety

9:45am PDT

Transition/Break
Wednesday April 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:00am PDT
TBA
Wednesday April 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:00am PDT
TBA

10:00am PDT

Plans
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
Speakers
GO
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
  At Promise Youth

10:00am PDT

Enhancing Student Engagement and Attendance: San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) Social Workers' Comprehensive Approach
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
The program has achieved a 75% increase in school-wide attendance and boosted family engagement through Parent Connect programs offered in English and Spanish, providing psychoeducation and community support. The grant has also enabled proactive support for incoming students at feeder middle schools and extended services to high school students and their siblings, even before enrollment. This program plays a pivotal role in restorative and preventive efforts to holistically support students and families.

Speakers
AT

April Torres

Manager of Mental Health Programs, San Mateo Union High School District
April Torres is the Director of Mental Health Programs, leading initiatives under the LCSSP Consortium Grant alongside Associate Manager of Mental Health Joanne Michaels and Director of Student Services Don Scatena. Together with a team of three social workers, we have established... Read More →
JM

Joanne Michels

Associate Manager of Mental Health Programs, San Mateo Union High School District
avatar for Chelsi Cheng

Chelsi Cheng

District Social Worker, San Mateo Union High School District
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
  Attendance

10:00am PDT

Every Day Matters: A Systems Approach to Attendance and Engagement
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
Every missed school day is a lost opportunity, yet most attendance strategies fail because they rely on compliance over connection. In this session, Hugo Lopez will reveal how Ontario-Montclair School District cracked the code using a data-driven systems approach that doesn’t just track absences—it changes behaviors. Through real-world success stories and practical strategies, you’ll learn how to design an attendance system that engages families, mitigates barriers, and transforms outcomes.
Speakers
avatar for Hugo Lopez

Hugo Lopez

Director, Child Welfare, Attendance & Récords, Ontario-Montlcair SD
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
  Attendance, Sponsor

10:00am PDT

Setting the Tone for Success: Creating a Positive School Climate by Implementing Effective Attendance Strategies
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
As part of a Heluna Health Grant, LACOE's Senior Program Specialist Team, along with our Community Schools Initiative conducted Focus Groups with students, staff, and families to determine why we are experiencing such high chronic absenteeism rates. We found that many participants believed that school climate and the lack of school connection was a contributing factor to the attendance declines. We will highlight methods for creating a positive school climate and re-engaging our students. We will also review best practices shared by our districts in hopes that these MTSS strategies can serve other sites and districts in their pursuit of positive school climate and attendance.
Speakers
avatar for Andres Castro

Andres Castro

Senior Program Specialist, Child Welfare & Attendance, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Dr. Andres Castro serves as Senior Program Specialist for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. With a robust background in educational leadership and student support, they have previously dedicated 8 years as a school counselor and have excelled as a district administrator... Read More →
avatar for Courtney Matz PhD

Courtney Matz PhD

Senior Program Specialist, LACOE
Courtney Matz, Ph D, is a Senior Program Specialist in the Child Welfare and Attendance Unit with the Los Angeles County Office of Education. She has worked in the field of Education for over 15 years as both a School Counselor and School Psychologist. In addition, she has taught... Read More →
KG

Kevin Givan

Senior Program Specialist, LACOE
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
  Climate & Culture

10:00am PDT

Healing Effects of Social Connection within our Schools and Community
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
Loneliness harms both individual and societal health. In adults, it is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is like smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. In students, a lack of friendship can result in academic underachievement, mental health issues, and impaired brain development. We will look at current data on friendships in the workplace and schools and use research from the Blue Zones and the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory report on loneliness to share ways to foster a sense of community both within the school setting and community.
Speakers
avatar for Barbara Sorter, Ed.D.

Barbara Sorter, Ed.D.

Executive Director, Special Education, Riverside County Office of Education
Dr. Sorter is the Executive Director of Special Education for Riverside County Office of Education and a Commissioner for the CDE Advisory Commission on Special Education. Dr. Sorter holds certifications in the 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, ADR & Conflict Mediation... Read More →
Wednesday April 30, 2025 10:00am - 11:15am PDT
TBA
  Health & Wellness
 
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