2023 Iowa BEST Summit

Home 2023 Iowa BEST Summit

Join us in Des Moines, Iowa

October 5 -6, 2023

Iowa Events Center

730 3rd Street
Des Moines, IA 50309

Registration now open!

Creating a culture of caring for Iowa’s educators, students, classrooms, school communities, and families

Join more than 1,600 other education professionals, school mental health champions, and researchers from across the state for the 2023 Iowa BEST (Behavioral, Equitable, Social-Emotional, Trauma-Informed Health in Schools) Summit. This year’s theme is “Creating a Culture of Caring.”

The Summit is your destination for practical solutions around school-based social-emotional-behavioral health.

Come together to bolster mental health supports across our educational system, apply the latest research to address mental health holistically, develop innovative strategies to embed student and educator wellness into the learning environment, and strengthen system capacity for care.

*By registering for this event, you agree to be photographed or filmed for promotional purposes.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

Who Should Attend?

PreK-12 teachers, school counselors, administrators, paraeducators, and school mental health providers
School district staff and leadership
Building leadership teams
Policymakers
AEA personnel supporting social-emotional-behavioral health and accelerating learning

AEA personnel supporting specific subgroups (e.g., special education, preschool, English learners)
University faculty who support preservice educators
University and college staff and faculty
Community partners including mental health providers, primary care physicians, Children’s Behavioral Health System Board members, and state medical association members

Why Should You Attend?

Take in the latest research, resources, and best practices to help activate and build mental wellness supports and capacity for your school, district, or region
Engage in deeper learning and knowledge sharing that leads to innovative solutions
Be a champion for school mental health systems change in your own school or community

Meet other colleagues and change-makers in the space
Learn and obtain CEUs (Participants can receive one Iowa Licensure Renewal Unit for attending the Summit and completing all readings and discussions)

View the 2023 Iowa BEST Summit schedule & directory.

1. Caring for Students (K-12)

This strand will focus on increasing knowledge of common mental health concerns, best practices in addressing an array of mental health needs, and critical skills for appropriate responding to student mental health concerns. Learning outcomes for this strand will be to improve mental health literacy for educators, school administrators, and district leaders; clinical skills for school-based mental health providers; and effective strategies for coordinating and accessing school and community supports.

2. Caring for Educators (K-12)

This strand aims to provide educators, school administrators, and district leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to build healthy relationships and systems of wellness to support the well-being of everyone within a school community. The sessions in this strand will be focused on offering educators an opportunity to do the “inner work” of exploring how their life experiences have informed the development of their social, emotional, and behavioral skills – including self-awareness, social awareness, emotional regulation, and relationship skills. Building on this work, sessions in this strand will offer opportunities for educators to better understand holistic wellness, and how to utilize personal and professional wellness strengths to build up areas of growth. Finally, this strand will provide time, space, and guidance for educators to learn how to build effective peer-support networks.

3. Caring for Classrooms (K-12)

This strand will focus on evidence-based practices for creating caring, positive, safe, and consistent classroom environments. Learning outcomes for this strand will be to increase the knowledge of educators as it relates to implementing classroom management practices; cultivating a sense of belonging; and linking practices to a schoolwide system.

4. Caring for School Communities and Families (K-12)

The sessions in this strand will be focused on offering educators opportunities to learn about research-based practices in supporting family and community engagement, collaboration with community stakeholders, and promoting wellness with those they serve. Building on this work, sessions in this strand will offer opportunities for educators to better understand how family and community wellness impacts the effectiveness of schools, how to engage families and communities through multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), and individual and systematic roles and responsibilities in promoting family and community wellness.

5. Caring for Iowa University and College Campuses (Higher Education)

This strand focuses on the fact that staff and faculty are busy enough, in ongoing turbulent times, managing the stress and distress in our own lives. Despite this, we are called on moreso than ever to also help manage the stress and distress of students, colleagues, and supervisees. And while stress and distress often occupy our attention, it is equally vital to keep sight of where we all continue to flourish and thrive. The higher education strand features a plenary session from the Regent Universities and their work on creating “health-promoting campuses.” There will also be multiple concurrent sessions with workshops focused on “caring for self” and focused on “caring for others,” led by higher education experts from around the state. There will additionally be a roundtable opportunity for attendees to meet others from around the state to share struggles, successes, information, collaborative opportunities, and resources. Come be a part of this first-ever gathering of higher education mental health and wellbeing professionals as we gather to connect over campus mental health and wellbeing.

The Power of Connection

We work with youth to make a difference. If we’re honest with ourselves, though, many of us over the course of the past three years have felt ineffective and even discouraged. We’ve wondered: is it really possible to build the kinds of life-impacting relationships with children and adolescents in the wake of the massive disruptions caused by a global pandemic? Licensed psychologist Dr. Adam L. Saenz answers with a resounding, “Yes! In this powerful keynote address, Dr. Saenz presents two case studies that will encourage us by offering proof that what we do in our work with youth doesn’t just matter—it matters deeply. Perhaps now more than ever, we who work with youth are uniquely postured and positioned to do our deepest and best work

Dr. Adam Saenz, Psychologist, C.E.O., Applied EQ Group

Biography

Dr. Adam Sáenz earned his Ph.D. in School Psychology from Texas A&M University as a United States Department of Education doctoral fellow. He completed his predoctoral clinical training under a fellowship appointment to Harvard Medical School, and he has a post-doctorate in clinical psychology from the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Dr. Saenz also earned a Doctorate of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling from Graduate Theological Foundation with residency at Christ Church college of Oxford University.

He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Applied EQ Group, the counseling and assessment clinic he founded in 2003. He also serves as a consulting psychologist to the Texas A&M Department of Athletics and to the Texas A&M Medical School. Dr. Saenz has authored multiple titles, including the best-selling, The Power of a Teacher and Relationships That Work. His most recent release, The EQ Intervention, was an Amazon bestseller that won the Independent Publisher Association gold medal in psychology.

Dr. Sáenz and his wife, Kim, have been married 26 years, and they have four grown children

"Creating a Culture of Caring” Educator Wellness Podcast

Join us for a special episode of the Educator Wellness Podcast, recorded in front of a live audience of 1,600+ professional educators. In this episode, host Dr. Kari Vogelgesang discusses creating a caring culture with Des Moines Public School Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts, the 2019 National Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson, and the 2018 Iowa School Counselor of the Year, Shelby Bryce. This episode focuses on the importance of building healthy relationships with students, parents, and colleagues, and a discussion is had on the significance of authentically celebrating all identities to improve the culture of school communities.

Dr. Ian Roberts, Des Moines Public School Superintendent

Biography

Prior to this role, he served three years as the Superintendent of the Millcreek Township School District, a high performing suburban school district in Erie, Pennsylvania; the Chief of Schools of Aspire Public Schools, a college preparatory district where he led the team of superintendents serving schools in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, the Central Valley, and Memphis. Ian also served as the High School’s Network Superintendent with Saint Louis Public Schools, where he coached, supported, and evaluated high school and alternative schools’ principals. Prior to becoming a principal, district leader, and leadership trainer, Ian was a world-class Olympic Athlete, competing in track and field at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Rodney Robinson, Senior Policy Advisor with Richmond Public Schools

Biography

Rodney is a Senior Policy Advisor with Richmond Public Schools. He is Director of Teacher and Leader Pathways and RVA Men Teach, a program to recruit and retain Male Minority Educators with Richmond Public Schools. Rodney has over 20 years of experience as an educator with Richmond Public Schools. He was named the 2019 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief States Schools’ Officers. He has been a member of the Google Edu Equity Board since 2020 and is a member of the US Chamber of Commerce Future of Data Education Committee.

Shelby Bryce, School Counselor at Liberty High School

Biography

As a school counselor at Liberty High School, Shelby oversees ASCA National Model implementation, including Personal/Social, Academic, and College Career development. She was a K-12 School counselor in rural Iowa for 11 years before taking on the same role at Liberty High School in 2019. Some of her greatest achievements include developing social-emotional-behavioral-health wellness checks at both schools. After graduating from the University of Iowa in 2006, she taught Reading Recovery in Texas for two years before returning to Iowa to earn her Master’s in School Counseling at the University of Iowa. She’s been a part of teacher leadership programs, the ISCA board, the University of Iowa Admissions board, ICAN board, and much more.

Dr. Kari Vogelgesang, Educator Wellness Podcast Host

Biography

Dr. Kari Vogelgesang is a Clinical Associate Professor of elementary education in the College of Education at the University of Iowa. She also serves as the Director of Professional Development for the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health and for the Baker Teacher Leader Center. Kari began her career in education over 20 years ago as an elementary classroom teacher. Dr. Vogelgesang has focused much of her work on partnering with school districts across the country to develop evidence-based, relevant, and accessible teacher professional development opportunities. More recently, Vogelgesang has obtained additional educator wellness certifications to develop, execute, and research the importance of system wellness in our school communities.

Experience next-level mental health awareness training at the highly anticipated pre-conference workshop – Imagine Iowa: Building Partners in Mental Health Training.

What is Imagine Iowa?

Imagine Iowa is a new evidence-informed, culturally responsive mental health awareness program, co-developed with Iowa youth, designed to support K-12 educators in improving their knowledge, skills, and attitudes about mental health.

This training is an essential tool for educators who want to support and improve their mental health knowledge and evidence-based applications in their classrooms and schools, as well as their own personal lives.

By the end of the training program, participants will be able to:

Utilize effective communication skills for broaching mental health with students in an approachable wayIdentify indicators and risk factors associated with a mental health crisis, including suicide, and how to respond appropriately
Identify strategies for building meaningful and sustainable relationships with students dealing with mental health concerns
Develop a personal wellness plan to maintain consistent self-care while navigating mental health situations at school/work

Participants will begin to explore these topics in-person and be provided with the opportunity to engage in continual learning via digital platforms, after in-person professional development, to become partners in school mental health.You will leave prepared to be an effective partner in mental health within your school community.

When and where?

Wednesday, October 4 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown Ballroom; and
Thursday, October 5 from 10:30 – 11:45 a.m. (during Breakout Session #1 for Iowa BEST Summit) at the Iowa Events Center

Who is eligible?

K-12 educators in Iowa (i.e., administrators, teachers, school counselors, school social workers, paraeducators, etc.) that have registered for the 2023 Iowa BEST Summit, October 5-6, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

The Iowa School Mental Health Awards program celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions to cultivating a positive mental health culture within an Iowa PreK-12 school, district, or AEA. The 2023 awards will be presented at the Iowa BEST Summit on Thursday, October 5 at 8:45 a.m.

The nomination period for the 2024 awards will open in Spring 2024.

Iowa School Mental Health Hero

This award honors an educator or practitioner for their defining contribution to school mental health in Iowa. This individual has demonstrated exemplary leadership and commitment to expanding, promoting, and strengthening mental health and wellness supports within their school, district, or organization resulting in positive outcomes. The recipient of this award has been instrumental in helping students, educators, and/or school staff reach a heightened level of well-being (e.g., physical, mental, spiritual, and behavioral). To qualify for this award, nominees must be employed by one of Iowa’s PreK-12 schools, school districts, or AEAs during the 2022-23 school year.

Mental Health Influencer of the Year Student Award

This award tributes a visionary youth leader who lends their voice and talents to advancing mental health awareness and initiatives. This student’s efforts have influenced decision-makers or policymakers to expand mental health supports within their school, district, region, or state. To qualify for this award, nominees must be enrolled in one of Iowa’s PreK-12 schools during the 2022-23 school year.

Nominate

Alpaca

Creating a culture of caring for Iowa’s educators, students, classrooms, school communities, and families

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

Schedule

Conference Strands

Meet the Speakers

Pre-Conference Workshop: Imagine Iowa Training

2023 Iowa School Mental Health Awards

Exhibitor Directory

Earn Teacher Licensure Renewal Credit

Hotels