UNION - Kean University's Counselor Education Department and the New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention will present "Beyond Bullying: Building Schools Where Everyone Belongs," a conference with nationally renowned bullying expert Stan Davis on October 23 and 24 at Kean's Union campus. The program is designed for teachers, counselors, nurses, administrators, paraprofessionals, consultants and trainers and other educators who are working to create welcoming school environments.
"As New Jersey's top producer of school administrators, teachers and professionals, Kean University is at the forefront of the bullying awareness discussion," said Kean's Dr. J. Barry Mascari, Associate Professor & Chair, Counselor Education Department. "We are committed to working with educators to raise the bar when it comes to ensuring student safety and well-being. The opportunity to learn from a national leader like Stan Davis, a passionate and riveting presenter who is certain to make an impact on all those concerned about bullying in our schools, is certainly one that should not be missed."
Davis has worked for human rights in many different ways as a social worker, child and family therapist, author and trainer. For the last 20 years, he has been committed to stopping and preventing bullying. Since the mid-1990s he has put his energies toward helping schools prevent bullying. Davis has authored several books on bullying and has gained national acclaim with work featured in many media outlets, including a special report on the ABC news magazine 20/20.
"Our national dialogue about bullying prevention has focused almost exclusively on preventing mean behavior," said Davis. "Though this is important, we will never completely eliminate hurtful behavior. For that reason, we also need to focus on building, belonging, community, and resiliency for all youth. In doing so, we can reduce the harm that can result from mean behavior. In this conference you will learn research based skills and knowledge that will help you to be a more effective change agent in your school or in schools - a champion for young people."
The conference will be held at Kean's New Jersey Center for Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) with attendance limited to 200 people on the first day of the program and 30 attendees on the second day. Those attending the second day follow-up seminar will deepen the knowledge and skills presented in day one through guided practice with supportive feedback and discussion with professional peers.
"Stan Davis is the most important anti-bullying advocate in the U.S.," said Stuart Green, Coalition Director. "His ongoing work on youth perspectives on bullying, including what helps them and what doesn't, is extremely important. Stan's trainings are made to be especially practical and helpful because they are based on his research and 20 years of experience working as a school counselor K-12."
Participants will receive presentation handouts and related materials, and be able to purchase Davis' books - Schools Where Everyone Belongs, Empowering Bystanders in Bullying Prevention, and Youth Voice Project: Student Insights Into Bullying and Peer Mistreatment - at a discount. Register online or call the New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention at (908) 522-2581 for more information.
The Counselor Education Department in Kean's Nathan Weiss Graduate College offers Master's degree programs for students interested in working in schools, mental health/social service agencies, colleges, government agencies, counseling centers and businesses. The counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP). For more information, please visit grad.kean.edu/counseling.
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Founded in 1855, Kean University is New Jersey's most affordable comprehensive public university. As one of the largest metropolitan institutions of higher education in the region, Kean boasts a richly diverse student, faculty and staff population. Kean continues to play a key role in the training of teachers and is a hub of educational, technological and cultural enrichment serving nearly 15,000 students. The Nathan Weiss Graduate College offers three doctorate degree programs and more than 60 options for graduate study leading to master's degrees, professional diplomas or certifications. With locations in Union Township and Toms River, New Jersey, the University's five undergraduate colleges offer 49 undergraduate degrees over a full range of academic disciplines.