SPECIAL NAREN Conference Issue APRIL 2017

Welcome to Transformation Education by Frank Kros, MSW, JD Director, NAREN President, The Upside Down Organization COO & EVP, The Children’s Guild

It is with great excitement that I welcome you to the 14th Annual Conference of The National At-Risk Education Network. The conference is being held for the 4th consecutive year at the head-quarters of the TranZed Alliance. The TranZed Alliance is the host organization for a wide variety of programs that serve thousands of children, youth, and families in scores of communities. The common thread that binds these programs together is our philosophy of Transformation Education, or “TranZed” for short.

Transformation Education is an organizational philosophy that guides the creation of a culture for transmitting the values and life skills necessary for a successful life, one full of caring, contribution and commitment. Through a process of adult and organizational transformation, the TranZed culture empowers each child we serve with: the Vision to see opportunity within adversity; the Courage to try and the value of accepting obstacles as challenges to meet and; the Will to succeed, and the value of making the commitment to persevere. We have successfully applied this culture-centric approach to charter schools, special education schools, group care, therapeutic foster care, community-based mental health programming and apprenticeship services.

FEATURE ARTICLE

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Feature Article: Welcome to Transformation Education!

Something to Think About: Helper’s High

Calendar of Events

Culture Card System

IN THIS ISSUE

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Don’t Miss Your Opportunity to see a UDO workshop at

the 2017 NAREN Conference!

WEDNESDAY, 4/5 10:15-11:45 am

Poverty & the Brain: The Poverty Simulation

2:15-3:45 pm Trauma and the Brain: The Developmental Im-pact of Trauma in Child-hood

2:15-3:45 pm Jack’s Brain, Jill’s Brain: Gender Differences and Why They Matter

THURSDAY, 4/6 10:15-11:45 am

Change Your Language, Change Their Lives

12:30-2:00 pm Mind Management

FRIDAY, 4/7 10:15-11:45 am

Walking the Brain Path!

Check your Conference Program for Room Locations.

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Our current TranZed journey is toward changing the way that America raises and educates its children. Consistent with NAREN’s founding beliefs, the change we are advocating for in the education realm is for a “whole child” movement that emphasizes the breadth and depth of what schools can and do provide children every day. I’ve summarized below some of the important aspects of this new school model, which we call “a TranZed School,” and welcome your feedback as we refine the model, finalize it and officially kick-off the movement to change how we both define and deliver education in the United States.

The Purpose of a TranZed School The purpose of a TranZed School is to provide a transformational culture that honors each student’s individuality and enhances the well-being of each student, empowering them to:

excel in their journey of personal growth and responsibility;

thrive emotionally and academically;

contribute to family and community;

positively shape their world.

Beliefs in a TranZed School

Life is a journey of personal growth ascending from a focus on self to a focus on family, community and world.

All human beings have the capacity to grow and change.

Growth and change occur when one is exposed to new people, new ideas and new experiences.

Both behaviorally and academically, children do well if they can.

Culture is the most powerful force available to schools for transmitting values and transforming mindsets.

The primary values in the school culture are Caring, Contribution and Commitment.

The adults in the school and the students’ families share high expectations for students to become scholars, problem solvers and contributing citizens.

The adults in the school adapt their thinking and behavior to meet the unique needs of each student served.

The way students are taught is engaging to the students and involves more doing and less listening and sitting.

Students have bountiful opportunities to engage in physical activity, eat healthy food, and participate in music and the arts.

The school building and grounds reflect dignity and value; communi-cate a vision specific to the school and exude quality.

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Welcome to Transformation Education (cont.)

Student Well-Being is the Primary Goal of a TranZed School.

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The responsibility for enhancing student well-being is a shared responsibility among the school, faculty, family and student.

Goals of a TranZed School TranZed schools share the goal of creating a unified community of students, faculty and families dedicated to nurturing students to achieve well-being and to live transformational lives.

Student Well-Being is the Primary Goal of a TranZed School Enhancing Student Well-Being (SWB) is the core of what a TranZed School does. Our brand promise is that a student attending one of our schools will experience significant growth in the following areas:

Dignity and Self-Worth

Cognitive Skills

Academic Performance Growth

Self-Regulation

Physical and Mental Health

Exposure to the Arts

Community Membership and Contribution

Mission of a TranZed School In each student, demonstrate:

Growth in feelings of dignity and self-worth;

Growth in cognitive skills;

Growth in academic performance;

Growth in self-regulation skills;

Growth in physical and mental health;

Growth in exposure to the arts; and

Growth in community membership and contribution.

The Vision of a TranZed School To create, implement and replicate an organizational culture that produces documented growth and change in the academic, emotional, social and life skills of the children and youth we serve.

The TranZed School model will create measurement tools for each of the student well-being paradigms so that data we collect about students documents the overall improvement in well-being each student experiences while they are in our care. What do you think? Please send me your comments and reflections via email at krosf@childrensguild.org.

Enjoy the conference!

Welcome to Transformation Education (cont.)

Become an advocate. Contact your legislators on issues close to your heart.

Collect children's books for the needy.

Become a foster parent for a homeless animal.

Form a band with your friends and give free concerts.

Adopt a "grandfriend" and visit regularly.

Volunteer to help with Vacation Bible School.

Encourage the school cafeteria to donate left over food to local homeless shelters.

Set up a recycling system for your home and participate in your neighborhood curbside recycling pick-up.

Grow fresh flowers and deliver them to someone to brighten their day.

With the support of a local vet clinic, organize a neuter and spay campaign to get animals neutered and spayed at a reduced rate.

Invite local police officers to present a drug awareness or bike safety assembly.

Read aloud to a person who is visually impaired.

Collect aluminum cans and donate the money to a favorite charity.

Organize a reading hour for children at your local school or library.

Help fix a run-down playground.

Clean an elderly neighbor's driveway and sidewalk after a snowfall.

Lend a helping hand at a local community center.

Hold an afternoon dance for your local nursing home.

Take a pet to a nursing home (with permission of course!).

Organize a local blood drive with the American Red Cross.

Research and help winterize homes in a poverty-stricken area.

Go for a walk with a senior citizen in your community.

Volunteer at an animal shelter.

Teach your senior friends how to use computers.

Hold a used book sale and donate the money to your favorite charity.

Start an anti-smoking campaign that encourages students not to smoke.

*Source: http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/serviceideas.shtml

COMMUNITY SERVICE IDEAS* Looking to achieve your very own helper's high?

We encourage you to help others and experience the benefits first-hand. Challenge your children and

students to do the same ― check out the list below to get you started!

Something to Think About...

HELPER’S HIGH: Does Helping Others Improve Our Overall Health and Decrease Stress?

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Looking for a terrific way to bring some excitement and interest to your staff meetings, professional development days or a conference? In need of a great speaker for your evening PTA meeting who can connect with and relate to your parent population? Looking for ways to help your foster parents receive the training hours they require to stay licensed? Planning a community, state or national conference and finding the same old speakers talking about the same old topics?

MAY May 4 Child Abuse and the Brain: The Developmental Impact of Trauma in Childhood Frank Kros / Garrett County Health Department / Oakland, MD May 4 Child Abuse and the Brain: The Developmental Impact of Trauma in Childhood Frank Kros / Garrett County DSS / Oakland, MD May 8 Poverty Collaboration Frank Kros / Cecil County Public Schools / Cecil County, MD May 11 Trouble Letting Go: Understanding Addiction and the Developing Brain Frank Kros / Charles County Public Schools / LaPlata, MD May 20-22 Change Your Language, Change Their Lives: What Foster Parents Can Say to Em-power, Support and Transform Their Children Frank Kros / National Foster Care Conference / Orlando, FL May 21 Change Your Language, Change Their Lives: What We Can Say Differently Today To Transform the Tomorrows of Our Youth Shauna King / United Methodist Home for Children / Mechanicsburg, PA May 27 Change Your Language, Change Their Lives: What We Can Say Differently Today To Transform the Tomorrows of Our Youth Shauna King / Marley Elementary School / Glen Burnie, MD

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

If you answered “YES!” to any of the above questions, consider working with The Upside Down Organization and bringing one of our workshops to your program or event. We have 35+ certified trainers geographically located all over the country who are ready, willing and able to deliver UDO’s workshops!

Contact us for a free, no obligation quote by visiting our website and clicking on the “REQUEST A QUOTE” button on the Home Page in the bottom right column. We are already starting to book for fall 2017 so today is a perfect time to contact us for all your training needs.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Guide to upcoming events and The Upside Down Organization workshops:

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Visit UDO online, contact UDO via

telephone at 410-444-5415 or

e-mail to in-fo@upsidedownorg

anization.org.

The Upside Down Organization (UDO),

formerly The Institute for Transformation

Education, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and advocacy of Transfor-mation Education, an

organizational philosophy and operating system for

child-serving organizations. UDO offers professional

development experiences, mentoring services, learn-

ing tools and organizational branding that help improve

the skills of people who educate, parent, guide

and care for young people.

ABOUT the TRANZED ALLIANCE CONFERENCE CENTER Environments matter to learning. At The TranZed Alliance Conference Center in Baltimore, you’ll experience a learning environment like no oth-er you have ever seen. Designed on brain-based learning principles, the Conference Center features structures, themes and installations intended to stimulant the brain’s enrichment response. From the Brain Path to the uniquely themed Breakout Rooms, to the Hall of Children, to Discovery Park and Transformation Station, you’ll be immersed in a physical environment specifically created to enhance your learning!

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK —

Interested in creating your own Culture Card?

The Upside Down Organization can work with you to create a customized Culture Card that reflects the core beliefs and values of your organization.

Interested in learning more about a customized Culture Card? Contact UDO at 410-444-5415.

UDO worked with the Alamo

Navajo School Board and the

Sacramento County

Probation Youth

Detention Facility to create

Culture Cards.

The Culture Card Why a “Culture Card?” From our experience, building a transformative culture begins with alignment. Remember that the first task in aligning your organizational culture is establishing the core beliefs and values you want to see expressed and communicating those beliefs and values throughout every aspect of your organization. The tool we’ve implemented for accomplishing this complex but critical task is called the “Culture Card.”

The Culture Card System The Culture Card system is an effective tool for ensuring there is a clear and consistent process for communicating the organizational culture. The Children’s Guild uses this system to teach program staff how to apply the organization’s foundational beliefs in the workplace. By using this system, the organization’s beliefs and the expectations are inte-grated into the daily thoughts and behaviors of staff in all Children’s Guild programs and services.