Dyslexia: A Three-Part Professional Awareness

Please Note: Referral policies for school districts may vary. Before making a referral, please investigate your school's policies and follow them accordingly. 

In this three-part dyslexia professional awareness program, we look at some of the indicators of dyslexia, the need for screening and early intervention, and important processes like Response to Intervention and referral for evaluation. We hear from students, parents, and various professionals in the fields of medicine, psychology, and education regarding the importance of the science behind teaching a student who is dyslexic. Experts and students themselves say it takes patience, long hours, hard work, and practice to overcome dyslexia. It is our hope to whet your appetite and to instill in you the desire and a sense of urgency to learn more about Specific Learning Disabilities, especially dyslexia, and how to make a lasting impact in the life of each student, every day.

This course meets the dyslexia professional awareness requirements of ACA 6-41-608.

More Than Sad: Teen Suicide / Depression - Prevention and Awareness Programs

This course meets the requirements of ACA 6-17-708. This course, provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), is designed to help teachers and other school personnel learn more about teen suicide and how they can play a role in its prevention. This course features two films and their supporting documents. The first film, “More Than Sad: Preventing Teen Suicide”, educates teachers, counselors, other school personnel about the causes of youth suicide as well as warning signs and steps they can take to get help for students. The second film, “More Than Sad: Teen Depression”, features four vignettes- each designed to present to teens as a recognizable picture of depression, reduce fears and misconceptions about treatment, and promote help-seeking behavior. Both films were produced by AFSP in conjunction with the award-winning Break Thru Films. 

Special thanks specifically to the Arkansas Chapter of AFSP for their contribution of the films. Schools interested in obtaining a free copy of the More Than Sad films can find contact information at the end of the each video.

This course meets the suicide awareness and prevention components of ACA 6-17-708.

Mind Movement: Move the Body, Expand the Mind

Everybody, out of your seats! Movement isn’t just for physical education class. New research tells us that if we want our kids to learn and achieve, no matter the age level or subject area, we will get them out of their chairs to move their bodies—and their minds. This physical education course produced by ArkansasIDEAS and the Arkansas Department of Education identifies the problems with a sedentary learning method, teaches the science behind the mind/body connection as it relates to physical activity, and explains how educators can be part of the solution for healthier, happier students. You will learn how physical activity can be integral to classroom learning and just how serious the problem of physical inactivity is for our students here in Arkansas. Judy LoBianco joins us all the way from New Jersey to provide insight from her background as a national health and physical education expert.

Tackling Heat Illness

Credit Hours: 1

Vendor: IDEAS

Arkansas summers are hot, and according to the National Weather Service, the days are likely to become hotter. Consequently, exertional heat illnesses are a valid concern for coaches, trainers, parents, and students who participate in summer activities such as practices and competitions. The most severe exertional heat illness is exertional heat stroke which is 100 percent survivable with proper and quick response. This course will discuss the dangers of heat, the proper methods of prevention, and most importantly, how to recognize and treat exertional heat illnesses should they occur. 

Hunter Midkiff, a junior at Piggot High School, died on August 15, 2020, as a result of exertional heatstroke. You will hear his story and how his death has impacted those who knew and loved him. 

Our host, Krista Bradley, and our expert, Dr. Michael Israel, Pediatric Sports Medicine for Arkansas Children's Hospital and UAMS, discuss ways to recognize and treat exertional heat illnesses as well as ways to prevent them altogether. He also shares the effect that heat has on the body, the proper way to measure the heat, and the steps to take that can save a life.

Dealing with Death: Crisis Communication

There are many different types of school crises that occur and being prepared is essential in order to provide appropriate support in the event of a traumatic school or community event, especially one that involves the death of students, faculty, or staff members. It is important to be ready beforehand, with a crisis response team and action plan in place. Inspired by When Death Impacts Your School: A Guide for School Administrators, a 2007 publication from The Dougy Center: The National Grief Center for Children and Families, ArkansasIDEAS brings you Dealing with Death: Crisis Communication, the first episode in a two-part podcast series exploring the importance of a crisis response team, the respective roles and tasks of team members, and what should be included within the team’s action plan.

This course features a podcast-style production hosted by Christina Muñoz and featuring both scenarios and interview segments. Experts interviewed include Andrea Fortner, Guidance and Counseling Coordinator for the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; Dr. Marisha DiCarlo, Vice President of Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Health for Arkansas Children's Hospital; and Greg Adams, Program Coordinator for Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Center for Good Mourning. Course takers may choose to experience the podcast via video or audio-only options.

This course meets the mental health awareness components of ACA 6-17-708.

Grief and Loss: School Community Support

In Arkansas, one in eleven children will experience the death of a close family member before the age of eighteen. Additionally, there are many types of school and community crises that could occur involving the death of a student or staff member. It is important to be prepared to provide support for students and staff through the pain and grief of such losses. Inspired by the 2007 publication, When Death Impacts Your School: A Guide for School Administrators by the Dougy Center: The National Grief Center for Children and Families and featuring a segment highlighting key points from the book’s chapter, “The Six Principles of Grief,” ArkansasIDEAS brings you Grief and Loss: School Community Support. This is the second episode in a two-part podcast series that explores how to distinguish between grief and mourning, the factors that influence grief responses, and how to identify and support grieving students and staff members.

This course features a podcast-style production hosted by Christina Muñoz. Experts interviewed include Greg Adams, Program Coordinator for Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Center for Good Mourning; Dr. Sufna John, Licensed Psychologist and Associate Professor of the Department of Psychiatry at UAMS; Andrea Fortner, Guidance and Counseling Coordinator for the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; and Rodney Ford, Program Advisor for the Guidance and Counseling Office at the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. Course takers may choose to experience the podcast via video or audio-only options. 

This course meets the mental health awareness components of ACA 6-17-708.

NOTE: The content of this course overtly deals with potentially distressing topics, including death and human loss, illness, violence, and trauma.

Speak Up, Speak Out: Teen Suicide Awareness & Prevention

PLEASE BE ADVISED: This course contains sensitive and potentially distressing information including death and loss. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS), in 2021 Arkansas lost 24 teens to suicide. Since 2000, suicide has been the second leading cause of death for Arkansans 13-19 years of age.  In this course, we will share the stories of two teens who died by suicide in 2021, and we will witness the effects those deaths had on families, peers, and communities. 

Recognizing warning signs and risk factors can help prevent deaths by suicide. Ms. Shawna Burns discusses with our host, Chris Kane, what we should look for and ways to approach someone who may be having suicidal ideations. Mr. Greg Adams shares statistics and the preferred terminology to use when discussing death by suicide. Then we learn from Travis Barrentine, the principal of Greenbrier High School, who shares about a time when his own school faced a student's death by suicide. Mr. Barrentine discusses the steps the school, the students, and the community took and how they came together to make changes for others who may need help. Finally, we hear from Dr. Tricia Benish, the psychologist from Greenbrier High School at the time of the student's death by suicide, who provides us with resources and ideas that teachers and schools can use to help other people who are struggling. 

United: Identifying Bullying Behaviors and Prevention Strategies

According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Study, 19.5% of high school students in the United States reported being bullied while on school property during the previous 12 months. In Arkansas, that percentage was even higher at 22.6%. Statistics for cyberbullying are similar in that 15.7% of American students reported being bullied electronically within the past 12 months and 17.4% of Arkansas students reported experiencing cyberbullying. Bullying has negative effects on those who engage in bullying behaviors, those who are targets of bullying behaviors, and those who are witnesses. This course addresses how educators can help.

Host Christina Muñoz leads a discussion about the issue of bullying with three Arkansas professionals who work in and around schools and children. Together they provide necessary information for educators and schools and discuss bullying behaviors, those who are affected by bullying, the signs, and ways to combat bullying in schools. 

This course meets the anti-bullying training requirements of ACA 6-17-711.

Paradigm Shift: Seeing Students Through a Trauma-Informed Lens

Research has shown that adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are more common for children in Arkansas than any other place in the nation. Children who have endured one or more ACEs are at a greater risk for health complications as they age, but they are also at a greater risk of struggling in school and social settings. Students with adverse childhood experiences or childhood trauma can benefit immensely from teachers and administrators who work through a trauma-informed lens. Just one caring adult can change a child’s life.

In order to implement trauma-informed practices in schools, we must first change our perspectives surrounding trauma. This course aims to create a paradigm shift in school personnel by discussing the biological ways trauma impacts the brains and bodies of growing students, then increasing understanding and empathy for students who have endured childhood trauma and adversity. It will also compel educators to ask different questions, be curious, and engage with students using a new mindset.

By taking this course, school personnel, counselors, nurses, and administrators can better understand how to lead trauma-informed practices within any school setting. While we learn that being trauma-informed is crucial in leading a successful educational experience, we also discuss just how important it is to take care of yourself. Because having empathy and compassion can be exhausting, this course highlights forms of self-care and self-compassion to ensure that you’re providing a healthy environment for your students.

Gatekeepers: Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness (Update 2015)

This course meets the requirements of Act 770 of 2011. Gatekeepers is a suicide awareness and prevention program made available through the Arkansas Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force. The purpose is to heighten suicide awareness in adults by providing knowledge about warning signs, risk factors, and protective factors. Many suicides are preventable if adults can recognize the warning signs and respond with specific intervention skills. Objectives for this course include: recognize the warning signs, distinguish between facts and myths about youth suicide, understand the risk factors for suicidal behaviors, demonstrate intervention strategies, and identify resources at school and in the community.

This presentation includes A Life Saved, a true story about a suicide intervention told by students and a guidance counselor. The video is appropriate to illustrate the value of teaching suicide prevention.