*Graduate credit is available through Baker University or Northwest Missouri State University

Basic BIST (3.5 or 5 days)

• This course is designed to provide elementary/secondary school personnel with a comprehensive organizational, behavioral and curricular approach to support students who exhibit challenging behaviors. Participants will develop an understanding of the psycho-educational philosophy of the BIST model, learn the skills and language to problem solve with difficult students, and develop effective communication skills with parents and other staff members. Through role playing, participants will have the opportunity to observe the new concepts being taught by the Behavior Intervention Support Team.

• This course will help administrators create a positive climate of clear boundaries and expectations for open communication and effective problem solving. This course will help identify and discuss common adult conflicts within the school community and set up guidelines to address these challenging situations. Discussion and role play of effective conflict management and responses to anger, denial and demands will require vulnerability on the part of participants.

 Effective Classroom Management (2 days)

• This course is designed to assist teachers with whole class management. Throughout the workshop, teachers will explore the areas of organization, preparation, expectations, procedures/routines, and consistency in order to become a more effective teacher and increase teaching time.

Supporting Students with Mental Health Issues (1 day)

• This course is designed to provide school personnel with comprehensive knowledge in dealing with children who have been diagnosed or exhibit symptoms associated with a psychiatric disorder. We will examine specific childhood psychiatric illnesses as well as effective school based intervention strategies to help the student experience school success. The BIST model will provide the foundation for many of the intervention strategies discussed. 

 Making Recovery Work in Your Building (1 day)

• A one day class designed to provide instruction in the Recovery Process. Topics include: How to set up a Recovery Room, Prevention versus Reaction, Data Collection, Team Focus, Outlasting the Acting Out, Processing with Students and the appropriate utilization of the BIST Continuum.

 Bully-Proofing Your Building (1 day)

• A one day class designed to help create a plan for buildings and classrooms to confront the issue of bullying. Information provided will include: types of bullying; strategies to identify who is involved; developing proactive plans for the bully, victim and bystander and ways to build a positive community within the school. It is most helpful for teams and administrators to attend this training.

Vision Team Conference (1.5 days)

• This conference is intended to bring BIST leadership teams together to gain insight on how to grow stronger in the BIST model by networking with other BIST schools.  There will be opportunities to network with schools, analyze building data and plan for the growth process and the next steps of implementation in each building.  Knowing how critical leadership is to the ability to change students for a lifetime and not simply maintain students, we are requesting that administrators attend with the teams.