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Pollyanna 2024-25 Workshop Series
The fee for the entire series for all community members at schools/corporations with 500 students and under is $1700 and over 501 students and over is $2200.
Please email us at info@pollyanna-us.org and let us know if this is a financial hardship.
All sessions are on Zoom.
Workshops are recorded and available on demand until May 15, 2025.
10/16/24, 1PM ET, 10AM PT
What We Say and How We Say It: Thinking about Free Expression in Tumultuous Times
Jan Abernathy and Jason Craige Harris
A bedrock principle of American life is the practice of free expression. Yet free expression should not be mistaken for expression without consequences. What we say and how we say it––whether in writing, verbal speech, displays, or gestures––can either intensify divides or diminish them. At this politically tumultuous time, when protest activity ripped through college campuses and social media snafus have wreaked havoc on high school campuses, it is crucial for K-12 school communities to redouble efforts to clarify the boundaries of free expression in their communities. In this workshop, communications and conflict professionals Jan Abernathy and Jason Craige Harris will describe the kinds of practice and policies that schools should consider putting into place in advance of the election––to foster and protect community and an environment of psychological safety for all.
10/21/24, Noon ET, 9AM PT
It’s Just a Joke!
Jacqueline Nelson
In an adolescent world shaped in large part by social media influences and desensitized realities, what's funny to one person might be incredibly hurtful, even harmful, for another. Knowing where to draw the line for young people is made that much more difficult in the face of widening generational misunderstandings. This session is designed to help educators and administrators explore the ways in which social norms and discipline practices can be positively influenced and made more impactful, even when "it's just a joke" or when "just a joke" goes wrong.
DATE CHANGED FROM 10/22/24 TO 10/25/24, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Tricky Situations in Lower School Classrooms
Ivy Alphonse-Crean
How can we address conflicts related to identity that crop up with our youngest students? What frameworks, including restorative practices and mindfulness, can be incorporated into conflict mediation? In this workshop, we will discuss ways to address identity with grades Pre-K to 5, with particular emphasis on holding space for student conflict and applying a restorative approach to the conversation. We will also discuss ways to create a “classroom container” that normalizes conflict and conflict resolution with strategies suitable for ages 4-10.
NEW 10/30/24, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Tips for Navigating Relationships and Mental Health this Election Year
Jason Craige Harris and Lauren Stewart
Political pundits have labeled this year's election as among the most polarized. And the proverbial lines in the sand are unlikely to disappear once the election is over. Before, during, and after the election, there is good work we can all do to care for our relationships and our mental health––as the two are often linked. Political disagreement can strain our relationships, and strained relationships can diminish our mental well-being. In addition, the uncertainty of our times can weigh heavily on us all. Join relationships, conflict, and mental health experts Lauren Stewart and Jason Craige Harris for a dynamic conversation on practical tips that we can all use to protect and promote relationships and mental health.
11/7/24, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Transforming Conflict into Connection
Jason Craige Harris
We may not want to admit it, but conflicts are normal. And they have the potential to help us clarify what matters to us and others and to connect more deeply across lines of difference. They also have the potential to divide us, even in lasting ways. Conflicts emerge among students, between students and teachers, and among colleagues––and let’s not forget about parents/caregivers. We can address conflict in ways that widen or diminish the chasm. This workshop will explore what conflict is, what intensifies it, and what can be done practically speaking to effectively transform it into connection.
11/13/24, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Building Stronger, Kinder Family Engagement
Shernice Lazare
For the last few years families have been disconnected from schools. This has affected enrollment and authentic family engagement and partnership. Some administrators, still dealing with the individual and collective residual trauma from the past few years, may be hesitant to re-engage families in the same ways prior to the pandemic. This has caused tension and the need to rethink authentic, meaningful and equitable family engagement. Come discuss and share strategies to build joy and excitement, mutual trust and accountability and diversified, equitable and inclusive decision-making.
NEW 1/9/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Healing Racial Battle Fatigue and Reconnecting with Joy
Janet Stickmon
This workshop is for faculty, administrators, and staff of color in K-12 education who want to heal their racial battle fatigue and practice centering joy in their lives. This session creates a healing space designed for you to: 1) learn about racism-related stress, racial battle fatigue, and how your health is impacted, 2) meditate and reflect upon what brings you joy, and 3) explore ways to intentionally center joy in your life as an essential part of your health and well-being
1/16/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Assessments: Rooting Your School’s Strategic Narrative in Community Voices
Jacqueline Nelson & Jay Golon
Are you someone who meets with prospective families, interacts with donors, or frequently communicates with a variety of constituencies across your school’s community? If so, you carry a weighty responsibility; you are a shaper and steward of your school’s culture and strategic narrative. It is your job to effectively communicate the intrinsic values of your institution with diverse constituents who have varying degrees of familiarity and connection to the school’s mission. In the age of information oversaturation, this is no easy task. In this workshop, we will explore how to leverage community voices and diverse perspectives to craft ever more authentic and compelling narratives about your school community and its value proposition.
1/23/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
The Enduring Need for Inclusive Curriculum
Sam Hosein
Established in 2018, Pollyanna’s Racial Literacy Curriculum for Grades K-8 was designed to help students gain knowledge about race as it has been constructed in the United States, and aims to help students acquire an awareness of their own racial socialization and skills for engaging in productive conversations about race and racism.
We are thrilled to provide educators with new enhancements to the beloved K-8 curriculum including:
- Nine new lessons, one per grade, K-8
- Ready-to-go slide decks for ease of teaching with lesson instructions in the speakers’ notes
- Scenarios embedded at the end of each deck with guidance
- A FAQ on navigating challenging questions and scenarios
Join us as we review these new materials with the hope to plant seeds that will deepen cultural competence and encourage kindness, bravery, and empathy in our school communities.
2/6/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Building Courage and Resources in the Face of Fear
Ali Michael, PhD.
Many teachers are caught right now between students and parents. Or between conservative students and liberal students. Or between families on this side and families on that side. They have some students who have very high standards for them--wanting them to use the right words, be affirming, know how to not microaggress. But they also fear that other students might post their "woke" content online and doxx them, or that parents will get them fired if they don't like their content. The fear surfaces non-stop. How do we face it? This is a workshop educators who desire to build courage and resource in the face of fear. The facilitator is White and will share many stories from her life.
2/12/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Canceling Cancel Culture in our Schools
Paris McLean and Shanie Israel
Based on what we see in the news, in the ether of social media, and within the rush of our daily and increasingly distracted lives, humans are struggling to communicate deeply. When someone does something deemed objectionable, society’s answer may be to cancel that person. Understanding that schools are a microcosm of our society at large, participants in this session will unpack how the many iterations of cancel culture impact teaching and learning in 2025 and perpetuate a system of complacency within our classrooms that misdirects opportunities for healthy dialogue and growth, anti-bias education, and a much-needed investigation into our selves. Participants will walk away from this session with tools and strategies to navigate and curb cancel culture within their classrooms and school communities.
NEW 2/19/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
What Boys and Girls are Made of: Gender and Sexuality Diversity
Rosetta Lee
Gone are days when boys are made of "snips and snails and puppy dog tails" and girls are made of "sugar and spice and everything nice"... or are they? Children are barraged with messages about gender and heterosexual norms everywhere they go - their homes, their schools, the media, and more. Do you know what hidden lessons they are learning? How do gender and sexuality affect everything from boys struggling in school to girls dropping out of the STEM pipeline, from sexual harassment to anti-gay bullying, from eating disorders to plastic surgery? How do parents, guardians, teachers, and schools provide safe environments for positive self-esteem, healthy identity development, and acceptance of differences?
2/2725, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Leading a Community: A Conversation with a Board Chair and Head of School
Saya McKenna & Maija Muncy in conversation with Jason Craige Harris
We are living through one of the most politically polarized times in our nation's history. Research shows that Americans are far more likely than before to moralize political and ideological differences -- good vs. evil and right vs. wrong. These neat binaries divide us and conceal our common humanity. Schools have been caught in the thicket of division -- administrations falling prey to inaction in times of community upheaval or over-action in favor of one side over others. In this session, a board chair and head of school will dialogue with a conflict expert on strategies for holding a school community together with complicated dynamics and communal hopes.
3/11/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Because We Are: Reframing Disagreement, Embracing Differences
Naledi Sean Semela
Diversity has always been more than skin deep. While many are quick to tout statistics to demonstrate a pluralistic community, few institutions are able to hone the inherent power that comes from access to varied perspectives and experiences. This workshop will examine why and how strong teams make the most of those times when we see the world differently. In a polarized environment, it is essential that we maintain that diversity is our strength and not an inconvenience. A problem solving exercise will illuminate the best practice of seeking different perspectives and navigating disagreement.
4/9/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
Creating an Inclusive Mission-Aligned Admissions Process
Joanna Lovett
Independent Schools are rooted in exclusion but that shouldn’t stop us from designing an admissions process that is as inclusive as possible. During this session, we will explore ways in which you can make your admissions process and practices more inclusive and mission-aligned. Each layer of the admissions process you peel back may reveal more implicit bias and risk of exclusion. Instead of letting this paralyze us, let’s talk about it and brainstorm solutions. Participants will leave with tangible ideas to interrupt and reshape the experiences of prospective students and families within the admissions process to achieve the outcomes our schools and teams deserve and crave.
4/23/25, Noon ET, 9AM PT
The Business Case for Equity and Inclusion: Socioeconomic Diversity and the Future of Independent Schools
David Smith
As the financial model becomes increasingly complicated, independent schools have to determine how to build a thriving community of students, parents and teachers with limited resources. In this workshop, we will explore ways that schools can maximize revenue, specifically fundraising and tuition, and create a greater sense of community and belonging at the same time. Ultimately, the values of every school are evident in its budget. How can your school think about revenue and expenses in ways that align with your mission and foster connectedness across differences?
Thank you to the Klingenstein Center and Joy-Raising for being sponsors of our 2024-25 Workshop Series.
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