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The Wellbeing Playground: Permission to Pause, Play, and Be Present

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Playground B

Playground
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Session description

Participants are invited to pause with intention, engage in joyful, low-pressure play, and explore mindful, purpose-driven strategies that support emotional regulation and connection. You will leave with practical tools and adaptable practices to nurture your own well-being while cultivating presence, belonging, and care across your school community.

Outline

Step into the Wellbeing Playground, an interactive area where educators become the architects of their own learning. Through dynamic demonstration stations, collaborative making, and focused talks, you will explore how to design systems for emotional regulation, mental health, and social-emotional resilience.

This year, we move beyond individual 'self-care' to designing the future of learning through the lenses of belonging, health, and wellness. Engage with practical, hands-on strategies to build inclusive school cultures, educator wellness, and integrate restorative rituals into your daily practice. Whether you are engineering a new classroom environment or seeking to sustain your own professional spark, this space provides the tools and inspiration to ensure that wellbeing is the foundation—not the afterthought—of a thriving school community.

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Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Practice intentional pause by using simple, accessible strategies to regulate stress, restore energy, and increase moment-to-moment awareness during the school day.

Engage in purposeful play through joy-sparking activities that model how curiosity, creativity, and low-stakes experimentation support learning and well-being.

Cultivate presence by applying mindfulness-informed practices that strengthen emotional awareness, focus, and connection with students and colleagues.

Apply practical well-being tools to support personal resilience and promote emotionally safe, supportive classroom and school environments.

Design one actionable practice that centers human needs—belonging, balance, and care—within existing routines, instruction, or professional culture.

Recognize the link between educator well-being and student success and commit to at least one sustainable habit that supports both.

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Supporting research

https://ies.ed.gov/rel-northeast-islands/2025/01/supporting-educator-well-being-using-evidence-based-supports

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Presenters

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Education Consultant
Leading Great Learning, LLC
ISTE & ASCD Book Author
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Teacher, Author, and Researcher
Fauquier High School/Corwin Publishing
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Teacher
Hamilton County Schools
ISTE & ASCD Book Author
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Education Consultant
ACBrueggeman Consulting
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ASCD Author + Consultant
Lori Cohen Consulting
ISTE & ASCD Book Author
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Instructional Coach
Central Bucks School District
ISTE & ASCD Book Author
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Adjunct Assistant Professor
Hunter College
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Special Education ACE Teacher
Southlake Carroll ISD
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Instructional Coach
Hamilton County Schools
ISTE & ASCD Book Author
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CEO
Living Strong Consulting, LLC
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Secondary Supervisor of STEM
Metuchen Public Schools
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Doctor of Educational Leadership
Monmouth University
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Consultant and Trainer
Beth Poss, Educational Consulting
ISTE & ASCD Book Author
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Founding CEO/Consultant
Spirit of Excellence Learning Systems
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Assistant Director
The Danielson Group
ISTE & ASCD Book Author
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Literacy Coach
O'Fallon District 90
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Coach / Facilitator /Change Embracer
ARIAM Development Group
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Founder and Chief Learning Officer
The Learning Loop
ISTE & ASCD Book Author
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ELL English Teacher
Elgin School District u-46
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Executive Director
PA EDGE
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Senior Administrator - Science/Social St
Orange County Public Schools
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Supervisor of Secondary Multilingual Programs
Norristown Area School District
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CEO
The Valbrun Consulting Group
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Educational Technology Director
Pocantico Hills CSD
ISTE Certified Educator

Session specifications

Topic:

School Culture and Climate

Grade level:

PK-12

Audience:

School Level Leadership, Teacher, Technology Coach/Trainer

Attendee devices:

Devices useful

Attendee device specification:

Smartphone: Android, iOS, Windows
Laptop: Chromebook, Mac, PC

Transformational Learning Principles:

Cultivate Belonging, Ensure Opportunity

Additional detail:

Featured Voices

Influencer Disclosure:

This session includes a presenter that indicated a “material connection” to a brand that includes a personal, family or employment relationship, or a financial relationship. See individual speaker menu for disclosure information.