Warsaw Community Schools Neuroscience Training for WCS Bus Drivers and Warsaw Community Youth Workers
WARSAW — Warsaw Community Schools through strategic planning initiatives during the 2016-2017 school year, identified student wellness (social- emotional) as a top priority. Through a community summit held last March during the Lilly Endowment Counseling Initiative Planning Grant process, a group of educators and community leaders gained the neuroscience training of Dr. Lori Desautels of Butler University.
Acquiring knowledge and strategies from this event, WCS launched a neuroscience training with WCS bus drivers and for those in the Warsaw community who work with their youth, possibly pioneering a training collaboration like this in the state.
The training took place at WCS Central Office on Thursday, July 6, with 17 bus drivers and approximately 70 educators and community youth workers. The community organizations represented included Bowen Center, CASA of Kosciusko County, Warsaw Police Department, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, McArthur Counseling Center, Mission Point Community Church, Kosciusko Community YMCA, Gradway, Kosciusko County Child Protective Services, Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, Kosciusko County Head Start, Warsaw Community Public Library, Kosciusko Cares, Big Brothers Big Sisters, WCS athletic coaches, among other youth serving agencies in our region.
Dr. Lori Desautels is an assistant professor at both undergraduate and graduate programs at Butler University. Before coming to Butler, Dr. Desautels was an assistant professor at Marian University in Indianapolis. Dr. Desautels taught emotionally troubled students in the upper elementary grades, a school counselor in Indianapolis, a private practice counselor and co-owner of the Indianapolis Counseling Center. Dr. Desautels was also a behavioral consultant for Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis on the adolescent psychiatric unit.
Dr. Desautels’ passion is engaging students through neuroscience in education, integrating Mind Brain Teaching and Learning principles and strategies. Dr. Desautels has conducted workshops throughout the United States and Dubai on Mind Brain Teaching and Learning. Dr. Desautels’ articles are published in Edutopia, Brain Bulletin and Mind Body Spirit international magazine. Articles in Edutopia include “Reaching Student with Emotional Disturbances”, “Emotional Regulation for Kids with ADHD”, “5 Ways to Help Students in Trauma and 7 Ways to Calm a Young Brain in Trauma”.
Dr. Desautels authored the book entitled “How May I Serve You, Revelations in Education” and “Unwritten, The Story of a Living System”, co-authored with educator Mr. Michael McKnight.
This training was made possible with grant funding focusing on mental health from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
For more information or questions, contact Warsaw Community Schools Central Office at (574) 371-5098 and ask for Lori Tilden.