Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.
Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.
DESE Podcasts
Dr. Betsy Kindall, Nicole Fairchild and Dr. Stacy Moore discuss Arkansas A.W.A.R.E. - a project to Advance Wellness And Resiliency in Education. Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Betsy is an educator, a licensed school counselor and the Statewide Coordinator for Arkansas A.W.A.R.E. She has worked in Arkansas schools for nearly 20 years. Nicole is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has worked in schools for about 10 years. She is the project manager at one of the Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.. remote sites. Stacy is a Behavior Support Specialist/School Psychologist with Arkansas A.W.A.R.E. and has been working in Arkansas schools over 15 years. They love working together and this podcast is a result of the creative energy synthesized through their conversations about mental health awareness. They begin by sharing a little about their previous work background and goals for this podcast series. In subsequent episodes, they focus on individual topics related to school culture and mental health. Their conversations are as witty and entertaining as they are informative. They share touching personal stories and address real-life situations that will help enable every listener to become more A.W.A.R.E. of the world around them. The episodes in this series are generally less than ten minutes long, but are packed with valuable information and commentary that will leave you wanting more! New episodes are scheduled for release weekly, every Monday. This project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education. Please feel free to subscribe to this podcast and join us as we strive to help everyone become more A.W.A.R.E.!Website: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/learning-services/school-health-services/arkansas-awareProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comMore information: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/communications/dese-podcasts
Big Red Button
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!De-escalation is one of our most frequently requested workshops and in this episode we touch on some of the high points.  How do we prevent challenging situations from getting worse?  What can we do to bring the temperature down?  Do you have a cover over your big red button?Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Mar 10, 2025
23 min
Executive Functioning Skills and Emotional Intelligence
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!Today we talk about how executive functioning skills develop, and the relationship between those skills and emotional intelligence.  When it comes to executive functioning skills, The Harvard Center for the Developing Child says, “Children are not born with these skills -they are born with the potential to develop them.”  How do we build them in our students?  Which skills are easier for us?  Do we expect them to be easy for everyone?  Is that when we require some emotional intelligence?  Join us as we chat!Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websitePermission to Feel by Dr. Mark Brackett Center on the Developing Child at Harvard UniversitySmart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare Produced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Feb 24, 2025
21 min
Motivational Interviewing Role Play
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!Have you ever wanted a student to change their behavior?  What works?  Lectures?  Threats?  Punishment?  Incentives? Motivational Interviewing is a particular way of talking with people that strengthens their own commitment to change.   We provide a 6 hour professional development on this interesting topic and we want to give you a quick episode so you can determine if this PD is right for you!  Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Feb 17, 2025
18 min
HIPAA or FERPA?
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!We have a resource for you!  In this episode we introduce you to the HIPAA/FERPA primer with the help of Cheria McDonald, the state school nurse consultant.  This is a tricky issue, and we’re not lawyers, but we think the primer will be a helpful resource to turn to when you have questions. You can find it on our website!  Just click on the HIPAA/FERPA button. Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Feb 10, 2025
26 min
Free-Play at High School - Panel Conversation
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!Do high school students need play?  The students say yes, and the staff agree.  Listen to this episode to find out some of the ways the Valley Springs School District has made their building a “work-hard, play-hard” environment.Thank you to Dr. Kyle Mallett - Superintendent, Angie Bogle - High School Principal, and Scarlett Williams - High School Counselor, and Jared and Allie - High School Juniors.Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Feb 3, 2025
13 min
Administrators Speak about Going Phone-Free at School - Panel Conversation
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!The Valley Springs School District decided to go phone-free early in the summer of 2024.  In this episode they talk about why they went phone-free, their implementation plan, and how it is going.  We also hear from them about class engagement, how the building feels and how discipline situations have been impacted.  Believe it or not, they might even be happy about the return of bottle-flipping…Thank you to Dr. Kyle Mallett - Superintendent, Angie Bogle - High School Principal, and Scarlett Williams - High School Counselor.Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Jan 28, 2025
16 min
Students Speak about Going Phone-Free at School - Panel Conversation
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!Wow.  Listen with us as we learn how it is going for a few local high school students from a district that went phone-free.  The students discuss school climate, bullying, stress-levels, and engagement in the classroom.  One of these amazing young people said, “Cell phones make us selfish.”  The student perspective is so important!Thank you to Abigail, Allie, Camden and Jared from Valley Springs High School!Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Dec 5, 2024
21 min
The Impact of Video Games and Social Media
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!We are in a series of episodes discussing The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.  How have video games and social media shaped our young people?  Is there a connection between their mental health and this technology use?  Are we truly “forever elsewhere”?  Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteWe talk about an interview that the author did with David Epstein.  You can find that here: https://davidepstein.substack.com/p/the-anxious-generationProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Nov 21, 2024
23 min
The Decline of Free Play
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!We are in a series of episodes discussing The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.  In this episode we focus on the role of free play and talk about how this applies to our everyday work in K-12 schools.  We encourage schools to consider some of the ideas from the book about recess and unstructured play.Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE PodcastsJoin the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Nov 14, 2024
20 min
The Anxious Generation:  Overview
Welcome to season 5 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!We have been reading The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.  We couldn’t wait to talk about this with you!  In this episode talk about a few of our key takeaways from this book.  Join us as we reminisce about the beginning of the internet and compare this to our experiences with technology today.Join the conversation anywhere you listen to podcasts!Join Betsy Kindall and Nicole Fairchild as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.2. Increase access to mental health services.The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.TranscriptResources:A.W.A.R.E. websiteThe Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental IllnessProduced by Donnie LeeMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comDESE Podcasts
Nov 4, 2024
24 min
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