Responsive Classroom® Schools Conference to Convene in Delaware

National Conference of Elementary School Leaders Promotes Responsive Classroom Approach to Fostering Safe Schools, Higher Achievement

TURNERS FALLS, Mass., June 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As many state legislatures draft anti-bullying requirements for their schools; parents and teachers seek safer, more respectful school environments; and schools look for higher academic achievement, education leaders will again gather for the Responsive Classroom Schools Conference (RCSC), which celebrates the contributions of the research-backed Responsive Classroom approach to social, emotional, and academic learning in elementary schools.

On July 12 & 13, the University of Delaware (Newark) will host the sixth annual RCSC. Elementary school leaders from around the country will share ideas and questions, successes and challenges on the road to schoolwide implementation of the Responsive Classroom approach.

Karen Casto, director of professional development services at Northeast Foundation for Children (NEFC), developers of the Responsive Classroom approach, describes the approach as "a widely used, research-backed approach to elementary education that increases academic achievement, decreases problem behaviors, improves social skills, and leads to more high-quality instruction." Whether conferees are already using Responsive Classroom practices schoolwide, beginning to broaden their implementation, or just thinking about increasing their use of the Responsive Classroom approach, Casto says they'll bring home practical ideas, resources, and contacts.

Casto noted that RCSC conferees will share Responsive Classroom best practices and cultivate a network of like-minded school leaders who want to deepen their Responsive Classroom engagement. They will also hear expert advice: The two-day conference will feature over 30 presentations on schoolwide integration of social and emotional learning to create community, improve behavior, and enhance academic achievement.

Steven Wessler, executive director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence and author of The Respectful School, will deliver a keynote speech about the key components needed to create schools that are emotionally and physically safe. Keynote speaker Rita White, a recent National Principal of the Year, will share the Responsive Classroom journey during which she transformed a low-performing school in Memphis, Tennessee, into a positive learning community.

For more details, including registration information and a complete schedule of events, visit www.responsiveclassroom.org/rcsc-2011.

About Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.

Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc. (NEFC), a nonprofit organization, was established in 1981 by elementary school educators who envisioned a way of teaching that would bring together academic and social learning throughout the school day. That way of teaching, called the Responsive Classroom® approach, is now being implemented in schools across the country and in Canada. NEFC continually refines the Responsive Classroom approach in response to current school needs and develops resources and professional development for educators. For more information, visit http://www.responsiveclassroom.org.

SOURCE Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.