June 4, 2009

MEDIA CONTACTS: Jane Bornhorst
202-994-4519; janeb@gwu.edu
Nick Massella
202-994-3087; massella@gwu.edu

GW TO HOST CONFERENCE ON SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR EDUCATING THE WHOLE CHILD: DIRECTIONS FOR THE NEW FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION

EVENT:  

The George Washington University 2009 Federal Policy Institute, a five-day conference, aims to foster understanding of the policy making process and the changing federal role in education. This year's focus will be the "whole child," a holistic educational approach to develop students' physical, psychological, emotional, interpersonal, moral and spiritual potentials in addition to intellectual potential and safe and healthy environments that promote student academic progress and long-term success. The conference is sponsored by GW's Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education and the Department of Counseling, Human and Organizational Studies at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, in collaboration with the National Association of School Psychologists.

WHEN:  

July 8 - 10, 13 and 14; 2009

WHO:  

• Dr. Carol Kochhar-Bryant, GW professor of special education
• Dr. Robert Ianacone, associate dean for operations and professor of special education, GW Graduate School of Education and Human Development
• Dr. Barbara McCloud, GW educational consultant

WHERE: 

The George Washington University
Media and Public Affairs Building, Room 310
805 21st St., Washington, D.C.
Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro (Blue and Orange lines)

COST: 

Tuition: $3,354 (one-credit option also available). University housing is available at reduced rates: http://gwired.gwu.edu/gwhousing/summerhousing/interns.

MEDIA: 

Members of the media wishing to attend should contact Nick Massella at 202-994-3087 or massella@gwu.edu.

BACKGROUND:

An area of increasing litigation for schools is their role in ensuring educational results, particularly as it relates to the non-academic needs of youth and their preparation for post-secondary education and employment. In January 2009, the Obama administration released four new reports that conclude that far too many students leave high school unprepared for college, reflecting "massive failure of the pre-kindergarten through college system as a whole."

The purpose of the 2009 Federal Policy Institute is to assist participants to:

• Understand the policy-making process and the historic, dynamic federal role in education.
• Identify the directions and goal of the Obama administration to make major changes in federal education policy and develop a more comprehensive approach to supporting students and families.
• Strengthen knowledge of the connections among the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, No Child Left Behind and emerging national policies promoting healthy and safe schools initiatives.
• Become aware of current research on the relationship of safe and healthy environments to academic progress, the definition and need for "whole-child" approaches to education, characteristics of school environments that promote emotional and behavioral health and new brain research relevant for the development of children and youth in safe and healthy school environments.
• Learn how new federal interagency collaboration among education, health and human services and justice is overcoming current service fragmentation that undermines "whole-child" approaches to education.
• Become aware of current legal challenges to the schools to ensure educational results, particularly as it relates to the non-academic needs of youth, and their preparation for post-secondary education and employment.
• Engage with national leaders who seek political and practical solutions to address the "whole child."
• Hear the perspectives of youth as they share their experiences.

For more information regarding 2009 Federal Policy Institute, visit http://summer.gwu.edu/institutes_edu.html.

For more news about The George Washington University, visit www.gwnewscenter.org.

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