McDowell Institute for Teacher Excellence in Positive Behavior Support
A look back on 2018
The McDowell Institute has continued to be highly visible in a leadership role this past year at Bloomsburg University, in local schools and at the state level through collaboration with various partners. Scholarly endeavors associated with each of the previously noted examples have spawned publications across a variety of outlets and presentations at both the state and national levels geared to impact research, policy and practice in schools.
The impact of the philanthropic gifts of Susan W. McDowell continues to be felt by students and teachers and will benefit the students and teachers of tomorrow. The McDowell Institute would like to share some of our favorite memories of 2018!
Stress Less with Pets (Spring 2019)
What is Stress Less with Pets?
Certified pets and their owner and handlers will join the Husky PAWS (Peer Assisted Wellness Services) to provide a stress free space for students to visit with the dogs, pick up a “Stress Less Kit,” and learn about available resources on campus to help with stress management.
Students will also continue to learn other stress management techniques, pick up resource information, and become acquainted with the Husky PAWS.
Where can we find the pets?
In the Student Service Center atrium or patio on the following Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Jan. 31, Feb. 14, Feb. 28, March 21, April 11 and April 25.
McDowell Institute provides aligned series of suicide prevention trainings
This past fall 2018 and the upcoming winter 2019 the McDowell Institute through partnership with the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way and the Behavioral Health Alliance of Rural Pennsylvania has been providing an aligned series of suicide prevention trainings to instructional staff across elementary and secondary schools in three local school districts.
YMHFA has been provided to targeted professionals that work across multiple school buildings to support faculty, staff and students in Selinsgrove Area School District. Initial YMHFA training was provided on August 21st with additional training scheduled for Nov. 12, 2018. YMHFA training is also scheduled in Montgomery Area School District on Jan. 14, 2019. Training in Question – Persuade – Refer (QPR) was initially provided to faculty and staff in Selinsgrove on Oct. 8, 2018, with a next series of trainings scheduled for Jan. 21, 2019. QPR training is additionally scheduled in Midwest School District on Feb. 15, 2019.
Collectively, these YMHFA and QPR trainings directly impact hundreds of teachers and staff, and in turn, directly impact thousands of students in these school districts. This is one way the McDowell Institute, through collaboration, is making a difference by helping to make suicide prevention everyone’s business.