GETCA 2020

Want to make CALM fun? Learn how to use ChatterHigh, an adaptive daily edu-game that gamifies exploration of post-secondary, career, labour market, health & financial literacy information. Find out how high/middle schools have raised over $250,000 in Canada's “Most Informed School” Competitions. This free career exploration edu-game creates accessibility to many postsecondary pathways and possible career goals. It is simple, FOIPA compliant, builds community and is perfect for CALM or any educator looking for a 10-minute activity to start class. It complements activities such as myBlueprint or Career Cruising. Attendees will experience how ChatterHigh Founder Lee Taal on-boards classrooms across Canada, and leave ready to start with their classes.

Speakers

lee taal

Founder, Chatter High

Chatter High Ready-to-use, free, gamified online activities for grades 6-12 students. Examples include the career exploration quiz and courses for mental health & wellness, and Federal “Learn About Your Taxes”, “Money Management & Budgeting” and “Insurance Literacy... Read More →

Thursday February 27, 2020 9:00am - 10:00am MST
(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 108)

9:00am MST

Go-To Educator Training: Mental Health Literacy (Full Day Workshop)

Go-To Educator training is designed to develop mental literacy through common definitions, mental health states, and an overview of mental health disorders. Supported by learning focused on providing a conceptual understanding of brain development and function, participants will receive a copy of Edmonton Public Schools’ go-to resource - the Mental Health Literacy for School Professionals flipbook. As a Go-To Educator you will: *bring a higher level of contextualized mental health knowledge into your school and classroom setting; *be a person who students can contact when they have a mental health concern; and *be able to identify students who have a high probability of developing a mental disorder.

Venue

(Enterprise Square - Faculty of Extension - Room 2-520A)

Speakers

Andrew Baxter

Andrew Baxter MSW RSW has worked in School Based and Community Mental Health for over 18 years. During his time with Alberta Health Services, he has provided direct treatment for students from K – 12 as well as consultation for their families and their teachers. He currently serves... Read More →

Kathy Jarrell

2 Go To Educator Handout January 2020 pdf

Thursday February 27, 2020 9:00am - 3:00pm MST
(Enterprise Square - Faculty of Extension - Room 2-520A)

10:30am MST

The Most Important Course in High School

TEDx & Keynote Speaker, Founder of 2017 EdTech of the Year, Lee Taal, was a future paleontologist/football player who’s career path was a complete surprise. A graduate of RRMC, he worked in the Arctic, has medals from the UN & NATO, gave advice to engineers on locomotives, designed advertising at Airports, and now has a mission of getting every student to talk about their future. Today’s teen is overwhelmed with information and, for many the thought of exploring career and post-secondary options is daunting. ChatterHigh Founder Lee Taal uses examples from his unique career path to explain how active exploration contributes to hope in students and how this leads to the critical outcome of becoming adaptable in a constantly changing world. Lee’s talk with educators and students alike is engaging and inspiring and often requested on an annual basis in schools.

Venue

(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 108)

Speakers

lee taal

Founder, Chatter High

Thursday February 27, 2020 10:30am - 11:30am MST
(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 108)

12:30pm MST

Anxiety 101: How to Help Anxious Teens Thrive!

Anxiety is one of the most spoken words in schools today and is widely understood as one of the biggest issues faced by adolescents! How much do you know about anxiety, how to support youth struggling with it and help teens thrive?! This session will focus on providing psycho-education on anxiety and strategies to support youth dealing with it in school and beyond. This session will help you feel more equipped to understand and work with anxious adolescents and will include several take-away strategies that you can use Monday... including some helpful handouts! Cory is a knowledgeable, energetic and honest presenter with a wealth of experience. Be prepared to learn some and laugh some!

Venue

(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 109)

Speakers

Cory Donald

Psychologist

Cory Donald is a Teacher, a Consultant and a Registered Psychologist. Having spent his 18 year career in these helping professions, Cory thrives on supporting people to flourish. He practices from a strength-based, Positive Psychology perspective, utilizing a variety of therapeutic... Read More →

Thursday February 27, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm MST
(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 109)

12:30pm MST

Classroom Mental Health: Understanding the Role of Relationship in the Classroom

This session will explore how relationship impacts a child's ability to learn and retain information. Research on connected relationships and student outcomes will be explored. Different attachment styles will be discussed. The focus of the session will be on a toolbox of strategies to develop secure, connected relationships in the classroom.

Venue

(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 207)

Speakers

Tania Johnson

Tania Johnson is a Registered Psychologist, Registered Play Therapist and the Co-Founder of the Institute of Child Psychology. The Institute of Child Psychology offers live presentations and webinars , both in Canada and internationally, on issues pertaining to children's mental... Read More →

Toolbox Calgary pdf

Thursday February 27, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm MST
(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 207)

Health & Wellness, PreK-K, Div 1, Div 2, Div 3

12:30pm MST

Self-Harm: An Educational and Community Approach

Self-Harm continues to be a serious issue among adolescents, and is a major concern for teachers, counsellors and parents. This session outlines an educational approach to self harm that examines myths, positive vs. negative coping strategies, and barriers to seeking help. Participants will be given ideas for classroom presentations, staff PD and parent information sessions. Creating a common understanding about self-harm will help to reduce stigma and encourage students to seek help.

Venue

(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 107)

Speakers

Kris Christianson

Kris Christianson has been a teacher with Edmonton Catholic Schools for the past 14 years, and has been a guidance counsellor for the past 6 years. He completed his Masters in School Counselling at the University of Alberta, and has developed several initiatives to address mental... Read More →

Thursday February 27, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm MST
(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 107)

12:30pm MST

Writing to Cope with Teen Trauma and Build Resiliency

Learn creative ways to engage teens struggling with trauma, bullying, identity, life direction, family issues, and mental health challenges, utilizing the empowering and healing capacities of writing. Topics include: • How to create a judgement-free, safe space for teens to engage with writing both in groups and alone. • Left brain and right brain processes in coping and thriving after trauma, utilizing creativity as an outlet for personal self-discovery, reflection, and positive change. • How the conscious and subconscious mind can work together during the writing process to uncover wounds, needs, and self-derived ideas for coping and overcoming. • Writing styles and genres that each work towards a breakthrough in their own ways, each with techniques and tips for implementation one-on-one with teens, or in a group setting.

Venue

(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 108)

Speakers

Alexis Chute

sole proprietor, Alexis Marie Productions Inc.

Alexis Marie Chute is the author of the award-winning memoir Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss (She Writes Press, 2017). Expecting Sunshine was a Kirkus Reviews’ Best Book of 2017 and an IndieReader Top 10 Best Reviewed Book of 2017. The second... Read More →

Thursday February 27, 2020 12:30pm - 1:30pm MST
(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 108)

2:00pm MST

Test Anxiety: A Group Approach

High stakes standardized testing has resulted in an increase in students struggling with anxiety while writing tests. This session will help teachers, counsellors or administrators support these students more efficiently - through the development of a group counselling approach. Participants will be provided with an 8 - 10 session outline to help students overcome the major causes of stress and anxiety experienced while writing exams.

Venue

(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 107)

Speakers

Kris Christianson

Thursday February 27, 2020 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
(Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School - Room 107)

9:00am MST

The Highly Sensitive Child

Does this sound like a child you work with: struggles with emotional reactivity, appears to be impacted by sensory issues, broods over failures, takes things personally, deeply impacted by others emotions, easily withdraws if overwhelmed, thinks deeply about things, deeply rich inner life, doesn’t do well with change, highly conscientious, and perceptive? A highly sensitive child [HSC] is one of the fifteen to twenty percent of children born with a nervous system that is highly aware .This makes them quick to grasp subtle changes, prefer to reflect deeply before acting, and generally behave conscientiously. They are also easily overwhelmed by high levels of stimulation, sudden changes, and the emotional distress of others (Aron, 2018). In this workshop, educators will learn to better understand these children and ways to help them thrive in the classroom.

Venue

(Edmonton Convention Centre - Salon 5/6)

Speakers

Tania Johnson

HSC: T.J. pdf

Friday February 28, 2020 9:00am - 10:00am MST
(Edmonton Convention Centre - Salon 5/6)

Health & Wellness, Div 1, Div 2, Div 3

10:30am MST

Sex Ed for Today’s Classrooms

Teaching sexual health can be intimidating! Talking about consent, healthy relationships, LGBTQ+ inclusion and sexting are all part of best practices in teaching sexual health. This session will increase your confidence and ease some of your anxiety around teaching the human sexuality outcomes for grades 4-CALM. Test drive the free, updated lesson plans for Grade 4-9 and CALM Human Sexuality outcomes from TeachingSexualHealth.ca, an Alberta Education authorized resource.

Venue

(Westin - Athabasca Room)

Speakers

Nicole Inglis

Health Promotion Facilitator, Alberta Health Services: Teaching Sexual Health

Nicole Inglis (she/her) has taught everything from grade 1 PE to Bio 30 and has taught in both public and Catholic Schools. She has an MEd in Adult Education and works on the Sexual and Reproductive Health Promotion team at Alberta Health Services. Nicole lives in Calgary with her... Read More →

2020 GETCA SexEd Todays Classrooms Notes pdf

Friday February 28, 2020 10:30am - 11:30am MST
(Westin - Athabasca Room)

12:30pm MST

Participation for All in the Classroom and on the Playground

Participation for All Ever Active Schools and Be Fit for Life Network pdf

Join Ever Active Schools and the Be Fit for Life Network for one or both of our 2-part session where you use resources that promote participation for all students through Social and Emotional Learning, Inclusive Teaching Practices, and Positive Relationships and Interactions - in the classroom and at recess, break and leisure times. Consider how physical activity opportunities can be established and supported to promote school-wide wellness. In Part 1, we will look at understanding and developing social and emotional learning competencies using Ever Active Schools' newest resource, the Social and Emotional Shuffle. We will also have the opportunity to learn and experience games and activities that promote empathy and understanding, and engage ALL students in creating a community of inclusion. This session is part of the Ever Active Schools Health and Wellness Symposium.

Venue

(Enterprise Square - Faculty of Extension - Room 2-670N)

Speakers

Ever Active Schools

Supporting Healthy School Communities

Ever Active Schools is a charity that supports healthy school communities all across Alberta. We offer professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators on a wide variety of topics to advance well-being in schools. Ever Active Schools puts on annual events such... Read More →

Feel Think Act Games pdf

Move and Play at Recess Be Fit for Life Network pdf

Friday February 28, 2020 12:30pm - 3:00pm MST
(Enterprise Square - Faculty of Extension - Room 2-670N)

Health & Wellness, Div1, Div 2, Div 3

2:00pm MST

Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation and Teaching Sexual Health

Keeping up with the rapidly changing language about sexual orientation, gender identity & expression can be challenging. When you add human sexuality to the mix, you may be intimidated, nervous or just don’t know where to start. Come to this session for a primer on LGBTQ+ terminology. Learn about the resources available at TeachingSexualHealth.ca for making your sexual health classes inclusive for ALL students, including queer, trans, agender, and gender-questioning kids.

Venue

(Westin - Athabasca Room)

Speakers

Nicole Inglis

Health Promotion Facilitator, Alberta Health Services: Teaching Sexual Health

2020 GETCA SOGIE and TSH Notes pdf

Friday February 28, 2020 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
(Westin - Athabasca Room)