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2009 Rhode Island Bullying Symposium Register Now January 16, 2009 (8:00 am - 3:30 pm) Sheraton Airport Hotel Post Road, Warwick, RI Who Should Attend? Schedule of Events Speakers Directions to Sheraton Airport Hotel Who Should Attend? If you suspect there is a bullying problem in your school this conference is for you. Research has shown that most bullying in schools happens outside the view or supervision of adults. If you suspect there is a bullying problem in your school, the odds are that there is a bullying problem in your school. This conference is designed for school professionals concerned with bullying in their schools, including teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, school counselors, student assistance counselors, school social workers and others. Back to Top Schedule of Events 8:00 - 8:30 Registration and Continental Breakfast 8:30 - 8:45 Welcome/Housekeeping/Introductions 8:45 - 9:45 Opening Address "An Ecological Perspective on Bullying" Dr. Christopher Willis NCSP - Newport County Regional Special Ed. John Lestino MA, LPC - Edgewater Park School District - New Jersey An ecological perspective assumes that there are multiple causes for bullying that occur at all levels of an individual's social ecology. The first part of this presentation provides an organizational framework for attendees to conceptualize bullying in terms of levels of prevention and various social eco-systems. The second part of the presentation discusses the actual application of this framework to a school setting. 10:00 - 12:00 Keynote Address "The Resilient Classroom as a Bullying Prevention Strategy" Dr. Beth Doll - University of Nebraska, Lincoln If schools can't stop all instances of bullying, what can they do to help students successfully confront the bullying that still occurs? This address will explain how the collaborative, data-based decision-making described in Resilient Classrooms (Doll, 2004) engages teachers, students, and families in strengthening playground practices and diminishing the impact of peer bullying. 12:00 - 1:00 LUNCH (Included) 1:15 - 2:15 Skill Building Workshops - Part 1 Workshop A. "Effective Strategies for Bullying Prevention and Intervention" Dr. Christopher Willis NCSP This workshop will present the essential components of several bullying prevention strategies, including Olweus' Bullying Prevention Program, the Bully Free Classroom, the Be Cool video program, and others. The application of these components in the micro-ecosystem of a school will be emphasized. Participants will be presented with an outline for developing and implementing a bullying prevention strategy in their schools. Workshop B. "Cyberbullying" John Lestino, MA, LPC This workshop will survey issues related to bullying through modern technologies, including instant messaging, email, text messaging, voice mail and other electronic means. The role of the school administration in responding to cyber-threats will be discussed, as well as the role of law enforcement and the legal system. 2:30 - 3:30 Skill Building Workshops - Part 2 Participants who attended Workshop A at 1:15 will attend Workshop B at 2:30. Participants who attended Workshop B at 1:15 will attend Workshop A at 2:30 3:30 Conference evaluation forms will be completed. RI Dept of Ed Professional Development Credits will be distributed. Participants will receive 5 Credit Hours. Back to Top Speakers Dr. Beth Doll is a Professor and the Director of the School Psychology Program at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. She has worked as a school psychologist in four states across settings such as school districts, child guidance clinics, and universities. The central premise of her work is that school environments can either prompt children to be developmentally appropriate or predispose them to be maladjusted. She has authored dozens of articles and book chapters on topics ranging from school based mental health services to resilience in classroom and playground environments. She has co-authored several works related to bullying with her colleague Dr. Susan Swearer, including; Bullying in School: An Ecological Framework (2002), and Cognitive-behavioral Interventions for Participants in Bullying and Coercion (2006). In Resilient Classrooms (2004) Dr. Doll discusses strategies for creating healthy environments for learning. Her ecological approach to bullying is reflected in this text when she writes that "truly resilient children are vulnerable children who benefited from the caring, sustenance, and guidance of a community." Dr. Doll's keynote address will make the connections between a resilient classroom or playground and the prevention of bullying. John Lestino is a practicing school psychologist in the Edgewater Park School District in Edgewater Park, New Jersey, where he has been instrumental in developing the positive school climate in the elementary and middle schools where he works. John knows that a supportive school climate and positive behavioral supports are key defenses against bullying. John has collaborated with numerous organizations including the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Temple University, the University of Nebraska, Rutgers University, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Lehigh University. His testimony and work with the New Jersey Department of Education helped bring about that state's anti-bullying legislation. John has presented many in-service trainings and workshops for the New Jersey Association o f School Psychologists and the National Association of School Psychologists. The opening address for this symposium; An Ecological Perspective on Bullying, a collaboration with Chris Willis, has been presented at national conferences in New Jersey, California, and Chicago. Mr. Lestino is the NASP School Psychologist of the Year for 2008. Dr. Chris Willis NCSP is a practicing school psychologist in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where he has provided comprehensive school psychological services since 1979. A graduate of URI, Chris has presented several workshops on bullying and violence prevention in several Rhode Island communities as well as nationally. He has presented a version of the opening address for this symposium; An Ecological Perspective on Bullying, a collaboration with John Lestino, at national conferences in New Jersey, California, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Chris has been a leader in Rhode Island school psychology since 1991, serving as the President of the Rhode Island School Psychologists Association and the RI Delegate to the National Association of School Psychologists. Additional background information and some of Chris' Points of View can be found on docwillis.com. Dr. Willis is the producer of this Bullying Symposium. Back to Top Directions to Sheraton Airport Hotel The Sheraton Airport Hotel is at 1850 Post Road in Warwick. Take the Airport Connector from I-95 (North or South) to the Post Road exit, turn left (North). The hotel is on the right approximately 1/2 mile north of the airport terminal. The phone number for the Sheraton is 401-738-4000.

2009 Rhode Island Bullying Symposium

January 16, 2009
(8:00 am - 3:30 pm)
Sheraton Airport Hotel
Post Road, Warwick, RI

Who Should Attend?

If you suspect there is a bullying problem in your school this conference is for you. Research has shown that most bullying in schools happens outside the view or supervision of adults. If you suspect there is a bullying problem in your school, the odds are that there is a bullying problem in your school. This conference is designed for school professionals concerned with bullying in their schools, including teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, school counselors, student assistance counselors, school social workers and others.

Schedule of Events

8:00 - 8:30 Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 - 8:45 Welcome/Housekeeping/Introductions

8:45 - 9:45 Opening Address

"An Ecological Perspective on Bullying"

Dr. Christopher Willis NCSP - Newport County Regional Special Ed.

John Lestino MA, LPC - Edgewater Park School District - New Jersey

An ecological perspective assumes that there are multiple causes for bullying that occur at all levels of an individual's social ecology. The first part of this presentation provides an organizational framework for attendees to conceptualize bullying in terms of levels of prevention and various social eco-systems. The second part of the presentation discusses the actual application of this framework to a school setting.

10:00 - 12:00 Keynote Address

"The Resilient Classroom as a Bullying Prevention Strategy"

Dr. Beth Doll - University of Nebraska, Lincoln

If schools can't stop all instances of bullying, what can they do to help students successfully confront the bullying that still occurs? This address will explain how the collaborative, data-based decision-making described in Resilient Classrooms (Doll, 2004) engages teachers, students, and families in strengthening playground practices and diminishing the impact of peer bullying.

12:00 - 1:00 LUNCH (Included)

1:15 - 2:15 Skill Building Workshops - Part 1

Workshop A. "Effective Strategies for Bullying Prevention and Intervention"

Dr. Christopher Willis NCSP

This workshop will present the essential components of several bullying prevention strategies, including Olweus' Bullying Prevention Program, the Bully Free Classroom, the Be Cool video program, and others. The application of these components in the micro-ecosystem of a school will be emphasized. Participants will be presented with an outline for developing and implementing a bullying prevention strategy in their schools.

Workshop B. "Cyberbullying"

John Lestino, MA, LPC

This workshop will survey issues related to bullying through modern technologies, including instant messaging, email, text messaging, voice mail and other electronic means. The role of the school administration in responding to cyber-threats will be discussed, as well as the role of law enforcement and the legal system.

2:30 - 3:30 Skill Building Workshops - Part 2

Participants who attended Workshop A at 1:15 will attend Workshop B at 2:30.

Participants who attended Workshop B at 1:15 will attend Workshop A at 2:30

3:30 Conference evaluation forms will be completed. RI Dept of Ed Professional Development Credits will be distributed. Participants will receive 5 Credit Hours.

Speakers

Dr. Beth Doll is a Professor and the Director of the School Psychology Program at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. She has worked as a school psychologist in four states across settings such as school districts, child guidance clinics, and universities. The central premise of her work is that school environments can either prompt children to be developmentally appropriate or predispose them to be maladjusted. She has authored dozens of articles and book chapters on topics ranging from school based mental health services to resilience in classroom and playground environments. She has co-authored several works related to bullying with her colleague Dr. Susan Swearer, including; Bullying in School: An Ecological Framework (2002), and Cognitive-behavioral Interventions for Participants in Bullying and Coercion (2006). In Resilient Classrooms (2004) Dr. Doll discusses strategies for creating healthy environments for learning. Her ecological approach to bullying is reflected in this text when she writes that "truly resilient children are vulnerable children who benefited from the caring, sustenance, and guidance of a community." Dr. Doll's keynote address will make the connections between a resilient classroom or playground and the prevention of bullying.

John Lestino is a practicing school psychologist in the Edgewater Park School District in Edgewater Park, New Jersey, where he has been instrumental in developing the positive school climate in the elementary and middle schools where he works. John knows that a supportive school climate and positive behavioral supports are key defenses against bullying. John has collaborated with numerous organizations including the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Temple University, the University of Nebraska, Rutgers University, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Lehigh University. His testimony and work with the New Jersey Department of Education helped bring about that state's anti-bullying legislation. John has presented many in-service trainings and workshops for the New Jersey Association o f School Psychologists and the National Association of School Psychologists. The opening address for this symposium; An Ecological Perspective on Bullying, a collaboration with Chris Willis, has been presented at national conferences in New Jersey, California, and Chicago. Mr. Lestino is the NASP School Psychologist of the Year for 2008.

Dr. Chris Willis NCSP is a practicing school psychologist in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where he has provided comprehensive school psychological services since 1979. A graduate of URI, Chris has presented several workshops on bullying and violence prevention in several Rhode Island communities as well as nationally. He has presented a version of the opening address for this symposium; An Ecological Perspective on Bullying, a collaboration with John Lestino, at national conferences in New Jersey, California, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Chris has been a leader in Rhode Island school psychology since 1991, serving as the President of the Rhode Island School Psychologists Association and the RI Delegate to the National Association of School Psychologists. Additional background information and some of Chris' Points of View can be found on docwillis.com. Dr. Willis is the producer of this Bullying Symposium.

Directions to Sheraton Airport Hotel

The Sheraton Airport Hotel is at 1850 Post Road in Warwick. Take the Airport Connector from I-95 (North or South) to the Post Road exit, turn left (North). The hotel is on the right approximately 1/2 mile north of the airport terminal. The phone number for the Sheraton is 401-738-4000.