ISBE School Wellness Conference

In this year’s State of the State address to educators across Illinois, two of the state’s most influential leaders—State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra—come together to share a forward-looking vision for the future of education and student well-being. Their keynotes will explore the intersection of education and public health, highlighting how policy, systems, and school communities can work collaboratively to support academic success, mental health, and equitable outcomes for all learners across the state.

Dr. Tony Sanders was appointed by the State Board of Education after a nationwide search. His term started Feb. 23, 2023.

Prior to his arrival at ISBE, Dr. Sanders served as the superintendent of School District U-46, the second largest school district in Illinois, for nearly a decade. During his tenure at U-46, Dr. Sanders added full-day kindergarten for all students, grew the district’s dual language program, created a new alternative high school to reduce expulsions and better serve students in need of trauma-informed care, invested in a grow-your-own educator initiative, and improved the district’s financial standing, while overseeing a $660 million operating budget. He also was a fierce advocate for the implementation of Evidence-Based Funding to change Illinois’ public school funding structure and provide greater equity for students across Illinois.  

Prior to becoming the U-46 superintendent in 2014, Dr. Sanders served as the district’s chief of communications and accountability and then chief of staff. He also previously served as the chief communications officer for St. Louis Public Schools and in communications and governmental relations roles within Illinois government, including at ISBE.

Dr. Sanders has held positions on numerous boards and committees, including the Large Countywide and Suburban District Consortium, Suburban Superintendents Association, Large Unit District Association Board of Directors, Illinois Association of School Administrators – COVID-19 Transition Team, Latino College Landscape Study Advisory Committee, and Vision 20/20 Committee for Equitable School Funding.

Dr. Sanders has received multiple honors, including the 2021 Illinois Association of School Administrators Superintendent of Distinction, 2021 Award of Merit from the Illinois School Public Relations Association for his Weekly Staff Newsletter, 2019 Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Award, and 2015 Hanover Park Educator of the Year.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Springfield, his Master of Business Administration from New York Institute of Technology, his Chief School Business Official Endorsement from Northern Illinois University, an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Judson University, and his Doctor of Education from Aurora University.

Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA, was appointed Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) effective August 1, 2022, by Governor JB Pritzker who charged him with continuing to shape a stronger IDPH for the 21st Century.

Dr. Vohra is a general pediatrician with degrees in medicine, law and public policy and is a cross-disciplinary leader in state and national health policy formulation.  Since becoming Illinois’ top doctor, he has led the state through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency and is now focused on efforts to strengthen Illinois’ public health infrastructure and build a unified vision for health in every corner of the state.

Prior to his appointment, Dr. Vohra was the Founding Chair of the Department of Population Science and Policy, a practicing primary care pediatrician, and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Public Health, Medical Humanities, and Law at the Southern Illinois University – School of Medicine (SIU-SOM) in Springfield, Illinois, where he also served the State of Illinois as the Interim Chair of the Children’s Mental Health Partnership. 

A graduate of the University of Chicago, where he earned a Master of Arts in public policy, Dr. Vohra completed his medical residency in pediatrics at the University of Chicago. He holds a medical doctorate from SIU-SOM; a juris doctorate from SIU School of Law graduating first in his class; and a Bachelor of Arts in political science and science in human culture with honors from Northwestern University. 

Dr. Vohra previously served on the Illinois State Board of Health, the Illinois Medicaid Advisory Committee, the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund Steering Committee and national committees for American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of American Medical Colleges, American Medical Association, and on the Board of Trustees for the Illinois State Medical Society and Chicago Medical Society. 

He has received numerous honors including a United States Fulbright Scholarship in 2009, an American Medical Association Foundation’s Excellence in Medicine Leadership Award in 2014 and was named an Edgar Fellow in 2016 as one of 40 emerging political and policy leaders in Illinois. In 2020, he was named a Presidential Leadership Scholar, chosen by the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Clinton Presidential Center, the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, and the LBJ Foundation. He has also been named to Crain’s Chicago Business 40 under 40 list in 2022, and their Who’s Who in Chicago Business list in both 2024 and 2025.

Dr. Vohra resides in Springfield with his wife, Tasnim, and two children.

Hunger doesn’t end when the bell rings at the end of the school day. Whether it is after school or summer vacation, there are child nutrition programs available that can ensure students are getting the nutrition they need to succeed year-round. Join us for an engaging and interactive session to learn about summer meal programs, after-school snack and supper programs, and more.

Urban Initiatives (UI) has partnered with Network 11 in Chicago Public Schools to host an eight-session PD series designed explicitly for PE teachers to support social emotional learning in their classes. PE represents a unique opportunity to integrate SEL into lessons, and this PD series based on a research validated coaching methodology supports PE teachers to do exactly that. Participants will learn about the methodology, hear best practices on partnerships between nonprofits and school districts, investigate program impact, and get a blueprint for creating a similar program for their district.

This session introduces a district's journey in developing and using Community, Academic, and Restorative Peace Circles as a tiered, developmentally responsive approach that encourages building relationships, supporting learning, and strengthening school communities within daily practice and MTSS frameworks.
Participants will:

1. Learn about peace circles as a continuous practice of care within daily school routines and MTSS frameworks.
   
   
   
2. Explore simple, time-efficient peace circle structures that fit within the school environment.
   
   
   
3. Examine the use of peace circles across roles and settings to build relationships and respond to academic and social emotional needs.
   
   
   
4. Consider sustainability practices through shared structures.

Schools often identify struggling students only after they are already failing, disengaged, or chronically absent. This session will highlight how Proviso Township High School District 209 redesigned its MTSS Early Warning System to shift from reactive interventions to weekly, preventative support for every student.


Participants will learn how the district implemented weekly BAG Reports (Behavior, Attendance, and Grades) that are shared with families and reviewed by school teams to monitor the progress of every student. Through consistent weekly data reviews, staff identify early warning signs, assign timely interventions, and track impact before students fall off track academically or disengage from school.
As a result of this system-wide approach, the district increased freshman on-track rates from 61% to 87% in one year, ranked #1 in Illinois for reduction in chronic truancy, and #5 statewide for reductions in chronic absenteeism. This session will walk participants through the structures, routines, and leadership decisions that made these gains possible—without adding unsustainable workload to staff.


Attendees will leave with a replicable framework for implementing weekly early warning systems, sample protocols for data review meetings, strategies for engaging families through transparent communication, and guidance on aligning MTSS practices with student wellness and prevention goals.

While individual self-care is vital, the "Blueprint for Transformation" highlights that a school’s collective well-being is the true engine of teacher retention and student success. This session pivots from solo wellness to Systemic Adult SEL, exploring how Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is prioritizing collective belonging as a foundational strategy. We will delve into the Illinois SEL Standards through an adult lens, sharing practical strategies for building "Bridges of Belonging" that foster relational trust and psychological safety. Participants will leave with an actionable toolkit to cultivate a thriving school culture where educators feel seen, supported, and empowered to remain in the profession.

This session equips teachers and staff with a practical, easy tool to support individual wellness. This tool can also be adapted as the basis for a more cohesive, schoolwide wellness program, as applicable to your school. Attendees will examine how small, intentional shifts can improve focus, emotional regulation, and overall quality of life.  Explore eight foundational areas of mental and physical well-being and learn how to use a simple checklist framework to assess needs, set realistic goals, and track progress over time. The session discusses how schools can create a shared language and culture around well-being that can be used by everyone- from staff to students. Attendees will leave with a ready-to-use structure for supporting personal wellness as well as building collective practices that strengthen the school community. Learn how to use this tool to transform your own life, the lives of students, and the school as a whole. 

Giving is not the only path to fulfillment. By embracing support, kindness, and help from others, we can build our resilience, self-worth, and emotional wellbeing. By growing our capacity to receive, we set the stage for even greater generosity and impact in our personal worlds, creating a ripple effect of positive impact, love, and growth.

While compliance with ISBE safety regulations—including crisis response, emergency planning, RTO, and mandated reporting—is essential, compliance alone does not create a safe school. This session reframes school safety as a holistic ecosystem rooted in strong relationships, trauma-responsive practices, restorative approaches, and consistent adult behavior. Participants will explore how emotional safety drives physical safety and how equity, predictability, and belonging reduce crisis behaviors.


The session draws on lived examples from therapeutic day schools that have eliminated RTO, increased attendance, improved student engagement, strengthened family partnerships, and created safer environments for staff and students. Participants will receive practical frameworks, tools, and ready-to-implement strategies to build a safer school culture without relying on punitive systems.

Today's students are navigating unprecedented levels of anxiety, disconnection, and dependence. Yet, they are also creative, compassionate, and full of potential. Drawing on key ideas from The Anxious Generation, The Amazing Generation, and Let Grow, this session explores how schools can intentionally balance connection, independence, and belonging to better support student well-being and growth. 


Participants will examine how overprotection, reduced autonomy, and limited opportunities for meaningful responsibility impact student resilience and how relationship-centered, SEL practices can reverse these trends. Through reflection, discussion, and practical examples, educators will learn how to create environments that empower students take healthy risks, build confidence, and develop essential life skills, while maintaining strong, supportive relationships. 


Participants will leave with an understanding of how current social, emotional, and environmental factors contribute to mental health disorders, strategies for fostering independence, resilience, and confidence through connection, and practical ways to elevate students' capacity to grow in academic AND essential life skills.

This presentation focuses on the art of de-escalation within an educational environment, emphasizing that these skills are universal across all interpersonal interactions. The session transitions from foundational theory, such as remaining calm and setting boundaries, to specific, high-stress scenarios involving both students and colleagues. By prioritizing empathy, non-threatening communication, and the "power of the pause," the training aims to equip staff with practical tools to maintain professionalism and preserve dignity during conflict. Ultimately, the presentation frames de-escalation not just as a safety measure, but as a critical transferable skill for building a culture of trust and emotional regulation across the entire school community.

Teaching is one of the most meaningful and demanding professions—and too often, educators are expected to do it all without losing themselves in the process. In this energizing and empowering session, Dr. Kristen helps educators and school leaders break free from the pressure to constantly perform and instead lead from a place of clarity, strength, and authenticity.
Dr. Kristen’s MAGIC framework invites educators to reconnect with their purpose, shift from survival mode to intentional leadership, and take small, courageous steps toward greater balance and impact—both in and out of the classroom. Through honest stories and practical strategies, attendees will walk away with renewed energy to lead with confidence, compassion, and courage.
You don’t have to change who you are to thrive as an educator—you just have to step into your MAGIC.

"Run Your Best Life"  Are you ready to pursue your dreams and design your best life? Whether you struggle to maintain focus, feel stuck in mediocrity despite 

Why are sodium limits included as part of USDA school meal programs? Learn more about sodium and different types of salt, why they are used in food, and the health implications of getting too much sodium. We will also review planning and preparation strategies to manage weekly menu sodium levels. For those involved in wellness committees, we will also discuss healthier fundraising options to decrease the focus on high-sodium foods. Attendees will learn about sodium and strategies to reduce sodium in school meals.

This initiative is called the ABCs of School Nutrition. Participants can earn USDA Professional Standards credit and learn best practices for food service, meal planning, and more.  The Illinois State Board of Education partners with the University of Illinois Extension to provide resources and training to support school nutrition professionals in Illinois.

This session invites educators to deepen their understanding of student behavior and the factors that shape it, including developmental stages, stress, and trauma. Participants will explore how play can be used as a powerful tool to navigate challenging behaviors while fostering emotional regulation and resilience. Through interactive strategies and practical examples, attendees will leave equipped to create supportive learning environments where every student can grow and thrive.

How can school districts transform raw data into a lifeline for students? This session explores how to leverage analytics to identify hidden barriers to success. We will move beyond the numbers to discuss practical strategies that streamline student support and facilitate seamless collaboration with the Regional Office of Education (ROE) and community partners. Join us to learn how to build a unified ecosystem of care that ensures every student receives the proactive intervention they need to thrive.


In this session, you will learn how to:

• Identify emerging trends and barriers using predictive data analytics.
• Implement tech-driven strategies to bridge communication between the district and ROE.
• Foster sustainable partnerships with external organizations for comprehensive, wrap-around support.
• Execute data-informed interventions that measurably improve student well-being and outcomes.

Parents who work in education often carry two full-time roles: supporting students all day and caring for their own families at home. Over time, this constant giving creates a burnout loop: pushing through exhaustion, feeling guilty for being depleted, and continuing to overextend because it feels like the only option.
In this session, participants will learn how to break that loop through three key shifts: awareness, interruption, and identity. Attendees will hear insights and real-world reflections from, Erin Shook, a veteran educator and mom of four who has lived this cycle firsthand and supports other educator parents in creating more sustainable ways to work and live.

Flourishing inside and outside our work environment is what allows us all to stay energized, passionate, and impactful.  Be empowered by three crucial actions that allow us to double-down on our unique signature strengths and passions in order to reach higher levels of happiness, fulfillment, and giving; all while avoiding burnout and a negative mindset.

Explore the SEL and Well-being framework developed from a CASEL Fellows Capstone project. Reflect on the CASEL 5 competencies and core ideas of self-awareness (identity), self-management (agency), social awareness (belonging), relationship skills (collaborative problem-solving), and responsible decision making (curiosity). Consider areas of strength and growth of these concepts and how a deeper understanding of the SEL competencies can support well-being. This session is interactive with individual reflection, small and large group discussion. 

Teachers and school social workers are expected to provide emotional support to students while navigating complex demands and limited time. Over time, this emotional labor can lead to fatigue, blurred boundaries, and emotional overload. This session explores how school-based professionals can hold space for students with empathy and professionalism—without absorbing emotional weight that impacts their well-being or effectiveness. Participants will gain practical strategies to recognize emotional overload, maintain healthy boundaries, and release emotional residue throughout the school day.

The current landscape of youth mental health in Illinois has reached a critical inflection point. With nearly half of Illinois youth reporting worsening mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and loneliness, rising hospital visits for mental health needs, and suicide remaining a leading cause of death among youth, the urgency for change is undeniable.

The "business as usual" approach characterized by well-intentioned but siloed agencies, fragmented community partnerships, and reactive school-based interventions is failing to keep pace with the increasing needs of our youth. This challenge is further compounded by the persistent and widespread shortage of mental health professionals and resources in both public agencies and school settings.

This session serves as a critical call to action, urging a shift beyond merely co-locating community mental health services in schools. Instead, we advocate for a true public health model that integrates the departments of education and public health. We will introduce the Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF)—a research-validated logic model and process designed to integrate systems into a single, cohesive continuum of support between schools and their communities. Participants will be introduced to and walk away with multiple resources to support your agency in installation of an ISF. This session will also share the design logic of the new ISF-SHINE (School Health and Interventions for Nurturing Excellence) research grant, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Education Innovation and Research (EIR) office and is implemented through the Lake County #34 Regional Office of Education (IL) in partnership with WestEd and the University of Illinois–Chicago.

Across the country, educators are grappling with the growing impact of social media on student mental health, behavior, and learning. What once began as simple online interactions now shapes attention, relationships, and trust both inside and outside the classroom. From group chats to viral challenges, digital culture has redefined school climate—often faster than policies or adults can respond.


This session helps school and district leaders understand and lead through the youth mental health crisis fueled by engagement technology. Grounded in current research and real-world implementation, participants will explore how social media and device use affect attention, emotional regulation, and belonging before students even enter the building. The discussion highlights why current responses such as like phone bans, monitoring software, or compliance-based mandates, often fail to address root causes or foster long-term change.

Self-worth is crucial for overall mental health. You will learn how to evaluate the impact of self-worth on your life, your students' lives, and apply strategies for improvement. You will gain insights into best practices, action research, and evidence-based learning that can be implemented for you and your students. This presentation will help you understand the importance of self-worth and how it can benefit both you and your students. It will provide practical strategies and techniques that can be applied to real-life situations, creating a more positive and supportive school environment.

National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program operators are required to have a Local Wellness Policy, which is an important tool for promoting student wellness across the school environment. Attendees will learn about the required wellness policy elements, including policy language, public involvement, triennial assessments, ISBE monitoring, and more.

Dating Matters is a prevention model developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop teen dating violence before it starts. It includes prevention strategies for individuals, peers, and schools. Dating Matters focuses on teaching 11–14 year-olds healthy relationship skills early and reducing risky behaviors, like substance use and sexual risk-taking. 

What if we could use real-time school data to strengthen classroom climate and improve student outcomes? This 60-minute session introduces the Resilience Supportive Schools Illinois (RSSI) framework. This free, statewide resource helps schools integrate trauma-responsive strategies, social-emotional learning (SEL), mental health supports, and equitable practices into each school day.  
Participants will explore how a positive school climate and relationship-centered classroom management can foster student engagement, mitigate behavioral issues, and enhance academic achievement. The session will include brief overviews of research, educator stories, and the four RSSI pillars, followed by a hands-on walkthrough of a data-informed tool designed to support schoolwide improvement planning.
Attendees will leave with practical strategies to enhance climate and wellness in their classrooms, along with access to the RSSI app, which simplifies planning and connects teams to aligned, research-based resources. Whether you're a classroom teacher, administrator, or support staff member, you'll gain tools to help students thrive academically and emotionally.

Some conversations are just plain hard. But working with people who see the world differently doesn’t have to drain our energy or end in conflict. In this high-energy, highly practical session, the audience will be guided through the art of respectful communication, even when tensions run high.

By May, even the most dedicated educators can feel the strain—patience is thinner, energy is lower, and the finish line seems both close and impossibly far away. Tethered and Whole: Avoiding Educator Burnout is an in-person workshop designed to meet educators exactly where they are in this moment: tired, stretched, and still deeply committed to their students. Grounded in the core ideas from Matt's new book, Tethered and Whole, this session invites participants to explore what it means to stay connected to purpose (tethered) while also maintaining a sense of personal well-being (whole). Rather than offering one more thing to do, this workshop provides practical, immediately usable strategies to reduce overwhelm, regulate stress, and navigate the emotional demands of the end of the school year. Through a mix of reflection, discussion, and interactive activities, educators will examine the hidden patterns that contribute to burnout—such as overcommitment, blurred boundaries, and decision fatigue—and learn how to interrupt them with small, sustainable shifts. Participants will leave with tools to create space between stimulus and response, set clearer boundaries, and restore a sense of agency in their daily work.

Join us for an evening comedy show with Greg Warren and Tim Convy!

Greg Warren is a beloved stand-up comedian known for his clean, sharp, and relatable humor that resonates with everyday families across the country. Warren’s latest comedy special, The Champ, was produced by Nate Bargatze and premiered on Nateland’s YouTube channel. Greg’s previous special, The Salesman — co-produced by Nate Bargatze and 800 Pound Gorilla Media — was hailed by The New York Times, as  “ [having] done for peanut butter what Jerry Seinfeld did for Pop-Tarts and Jim Gaffigan did for Hot Pockets.” The hour tells the story of Greg’s post-college years selling Jif and Pringles for Procter & Gamble, a formative chapter that ultimately launched his career in stand-up comedy. He can be seen in his Amazon Prime Special, Where The Field Corn Grows, Fish Sandwich on Dry Bar Comedy, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Late Show and Comedy Central Presents. Greg is also the co-host of The Consumers, a podcast on Nate Bargatze’s Nateland network, where he and fellow comedians Tim Convy & Sean O’Brien do a weekly deep dive into one national brand. Greg hails from St. Louis, MO, where his father was a high school wrestling coach, and his mother made him play clarinet in the band. He has captivated audiences with anecdotes about the conflict inherent in meshing the two disparate high school identities of varsity wrestler and band geek. Greg was also a West Point Cadet, where he distinguished himself by amassing an impressive tally of demerits and endless hours of pointless marching. After moving on to the University of Missouri, he studied journalism and became an All-American college wrestler. Greg can also be seen weekly on the ABC game show The Greatest Average American with Nate Bartgatze.

Tim Convy was born and raised in St. Louis and after graduating from the University of Missouri, pursued his dreams of rock n' roll stardom. As keyboardist of the rock band Ludo, he performed on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and MTV.  Ludo played over one thousand shows all over the country including clubs, colleges, and festivals like Lollapalooza and Warped Tour.  After hanging up his synthesizer, Tim studied improvisation at The Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater in New York and began performing standup comedy shortly after. He’s performed at some of the country’s best venues and many of the most terrible ones. Tim has also worked as a writer and producer on on a variety of television shows from Comedy Central's Not Safe with Nikki Glaser to MTV's House of Style. Tim has moved back to St. Louis to combine his love of music and comedy. He can be heard every weekday morning on the radio on 106.5 The Arch's, The Courtney Show.