This is our 9th SYT Summit. We have chosen a theme around crisis because we have seen a significant increase in our families and the world around us. We think this topic is timeless and can be used when life surprises or challenges unfold.

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The Summit keynote speakers and content is available unitl FRIDAY NOVEMBER 17TH

Through out the Summit - Susan and Sperry will share their SYT insights

The co-founders of SYT will share insights, stories and thoughts about their takeaways from the expert content to help you digest and see the content from their eyes as well.

Susan Schenk is the author of Beyond OK from Invisible to Invincible | Co-founder of Shift Your Thinking | worked as an Occupational Therapist in schools for over 20 years, and is passionate about learning differences due to her learning differences.

Sperry Bilyea is co-founder of Shift Your Thinking and a loving mom of three amazing kids.

Tom Hierck - Try NEW when the old won’t do!

Is your child reluctant to go (or return) to school? Have they considered dropping out even though school has just started back? Are you wondering what is going on? Why is it so different today than when you were a student? Why are kids "acting this way"?

Tom Hierck is the author of the book "Trauma-Sensitive Instruction." He offers insights from his experiences as a teacher, administrator, district leader, department of education project leader, and executive director. His unique context for his education philosophy will make you think about how we support kids in the school setting, particularly the kids who need more from us as adults. His fervent belief is that “every student is a success story waiting to be told.”

His talk will examine and provide insight to the following:

• What has changed that we need to pay attention to help kids learn and want to be in a school setting again?

• What can we learn from kids by what they tell us - in words, behaviours, and actions?

• What is needed in the school setting to make kids feel like it's a place they want to be?

• What do we need to know about trauma?

• What is the priority for adults to focus on to help kids?

• What do kids need right now more than ever?

• Why are kids with learning differences (dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning, LD) more at risk?

• What mindset needs to change?

bio

Tom Hierck is the author of the book "Trauma-Sensitive Instruction." He offers insights from his experiences as a teacher, administrator, district leader, department of education project leader, and executive director. He has provided a unique context for his education philosophy that will make you think about how we support kids in the school setting, particularly the kids who need more from us as adults.
 

Dr. Dwight Chapin - Health, Strength and Hope

How do you feel when you take time to care for yourself? When you and your family focus on a healthy lifestyle and provide time to rest and play. It all sounds great, but sometimes we have to take a look at our wellness and see what we need to return to, what needs to be a priority again, or what we have missed along the way that we want to add to our lives for not only us but our children.

Dr. Dwight Chapin will review what is needed to help us maintain wellness in our families, offering us the strength to move forward and hope in the future.

This is your invitation to review our focus on health and wellness in order to offer us the strength and courage to move forward with our families — and establish generational habits.

“Health is a state of body. Wellness is a state of being.” 

J. Standord

Bio

D R. D W I G H T C H A P I N B.Sc., D.C., is an award-winning chiropractor, co-owner of a large multi-disciplinary wellness clinic, Team Chiropractor for the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts, and onsite clinician for The Globe and Mail. 

 A corporate wellness innovator, experienced clinician, and public speaker, Chapin is a trusted human performance and injury prevention expert.

As a Health Advisor, his original work has been featured in The Globe and Mail, where he also operates an onsite repetitive strain injury prevention clinic for Globe and Mail employees. He has co-authored workplace wellness e-learning modules for the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety-CCOHS, was awarded the 2018 Chiropractor of the Year by the Ontario Chiropractic Association, and is a two-time Grey Cup champion as a member of the Toronto Argonauts’ medical staff. 

Dr. Chapin has made it his life’s mission to care for, educate, and inspire others in their journey toward optimal health. In his first book, Take Good Care: 7 Wellness Rituals for Health, Strength & Hope, he brings the science of preventative medicine to life with a behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyle practices of 21 influential Canadians.

Jane Craig - Recovering and Supporting Others Through Trauma

Jane will review the steps she takes with the mental health professionals in the program to build confidence and hope in the kids she teaches. When kids come to her they have faced a learning crisis and she is willing to walk them back into a world of learning in a setting that accepts who they are.

Bio

Jane Craig is a high school teacher who has been working in a Day Treatment Program for youth with complex mental health needs for the past ten years.  Jane is skilled at differentiating, creating a place of equity, and giving students a voice.   She teaches a broad range of subjects every day but she also teaches students to move from not wanting to be in school to gaining trust in learning again. This mental health program is a specialised learning environment.  Kids arrive in the program when they are in crisis and no longer functioning in the mainstream system. 

The goal is to help them confidently build the coping skills they need to navigate not just the classroom but life when they leave the program. Jane says, “ I might be a highly qualified Special Education Specialist, a Collaborative problem solver, a Tier 1 facilitator, and a part of an equitable teacher collective, but my “superpower” lies in the ability to connect with at-risk youth who are struggling with their mental health.”

Jane will review the steps she takes with the mental health professionals in the program to build confidence and hope in the kids she teaches. 

Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe - Stress wisely - how to be well in an unwell world

Stress is inherent to the human condition, yet how we work with that stress holds tremendous power and impacts our personal and professional capacity to show up in our lives. Be prepared to learn, unlearn, and integrate stressing wisely principles for remarkable and lasting change for you, your child and your profession.  

Bio:

Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe - Author of Calm Within the Storm and Stress Wisely: how to be well in an unwell world, is a multi-award-winning psychology and education instructor specializing in resiliency, navigating stress and change, leadership, and personal wellness in the workplace. Described as transformational, engaging, and thought-provoking, Robyne’s keynotes provide practical strategies grounded in global research and case studies that help foster resiliency within others and ourselves. Robyne is available for consultation, training and professional development opportunities ranging from one-to-one to company-wide initiatives.

David Lester - Learning from Home: ReThinking Homeschooling

David Lester has worked with many kids and families in a learning crisis.  Mostly, kids who don't want to return to school and need another way to learn in their home setting. So what do we need to know about alternative learning for kids, how does this offer kids what they need, and when is a good time to return to a traditional setting?  David will answer these questions and more in his talk.   

Bio:

David Lester is the CEO of Nisai Group.

Nisai Group are currently supporting learners in over 30 countries worldwide. With Nisai teams now based in 10 countries the nurture and support that has been well recognised in the UK is creating impact for learners overseas. Staying true to the belief that every child has a right to quality education, it is our focus to make a difference, support UNESCO SDG 2030 agenda and provide opportunities to mainstream as well as vulnerable and marginalised learners

Susan and Sperry Heart Message and Closing of the Summit