The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services is pleased to partner with the Prince William County Public Schools’ Office of Student Services to offer their annual symposium entitled “Achieving Success for All Students: Focusing on What’s Strong Instead of What’s Wrong”. This half day event will bring together local educators, law enforcement, and other school safety stakeholders to focus on trauma-informed care and the importance of developing resilient students.
The goals of this symposium is to ensure that educators and mental health practitioners continue to strengthen their practice and learn and problem solve together in order to ensure all students achieve success.
Rob Scheer. Forty years ago, Rob entered the foster care system as a child who had lost both parents. He was brought into a house of strangers with all of his belongings in a tattered and torn trash bag. Eight years ago, 4 children, who are now his daughter and 3 sons, arrived on his doorstep through foster care. As they entered his home for the very first time, each clutched a garbage bag holding the few items they called their own. Scheer was floored. How, after thirty years, were children in the foster system still carrying their life in a bag used for trash? After searching for a means to provide dignity to kids in care, an idea was born. With the vision of assembling cases for youth in need, an invitation was extended to the community for family and friends to come together. In December 2013, this gathering marked the first Packing Party to assemble what is now lovingly called Comfort Cases, and the 501(c)(3) charitable organization was born. Comfort Cases has been given exciting exposure with interviews on The Ellen Show, a viral video production viewed by over 100 million from Upworthy, and a segment dedicated to the cause on The Today Show. They have already shipped the Cases to 39 states, and the dream is for every youth to receive Comfort Cases upon entering foster care.
Bob Bushnell. For 26 years, Bruce Bushnell has centered his career around promoting youth success. This career began as a high school counselor, where Bruce devoted his time and expertise as a member of the Executive High School Relations Board, senior vice president of the Alpine Counseling Association, and vice president of the Utah Counselor Association. Bruce now helps youth succeed by presenting passionate WhyTry keynotes and trainings across the country. As an advocate of the program from its earliest days, Bruce is also the creator of many of the WhyTry learning activities, which are proven to help youth develop the social and emotional skills necessary to reach their goals. Bruce also worked as the chairman for the Advancement of Youth Leadership at Utah Valley University. His honors and awards include Utah Counselor of the Year, Special Service Award for his district, First Lady Citizenship and Drug Prevention Award, and the national Drug-Free School Recognition Award, presented to him by President Bush at the White House Rose Garden.
Who should attend?
K-12 school resource officers and school security officers, and K-12 staff including school administrators, threat assessment team members, school social workers, school nurses and school counselors; juvenile detention center staff and juvenile probation officers, other school safety stakeholders and those working closely with youth.
Topics to be addressed
Cost
There is no cost to attend this training, however pre-registration is required.
Partial In-service Credit (PIC) for Virginia law enforcement officers and campus/school security officers will be available. All participants will receive a certificate of attendance after completing an online evaluation following the training.
Travel, Lodging & Meals
Participants are responsible for their transportation and lodging arrangements and expenses.
Registration
Pre-registration is required via DCJS’ online registration system.
