A view of the campus walkwayThe Education department at SUNY Broome Community College, in conjunction with community partners, will hold a one-day conference from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 20, 2018, called “The ABCs of Childhood: Awareness, Behaviors and Curriculum.” This conference focuses on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and is co-sponsored by the Family Enrichment Network and the Parent Technical Assistance Center at the Southern Tier Independence Center. It will be held in Titchener Hall on the SUNY Broome campus.

Many children live in stressful, traumatic situations; we are only beginning to understand how the long- and short-term physical and physiological effects that can result from ACEs may last well into adulthood. Addressing the biological, social and pedagogical implications of ACEs, our speakers will share their knowledge of this relatively new and very compelling area of study.

Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Jennifer Musa (SUNY Broome professor of biology), whose address will be called “ACEs and Health: the Science of Harm and Healing,” and will focus on the physical effects of the toxic stress ACEs expose children to.

Other speakers include Sue Jones, MSEd, and Amy Wallick, MSEd, both Trauma-Informed Practices Coaches at BOCES, who will discuss “Looking at the Whole Child,” focusing on developing awareness and understanding of what the ACE study shows, as well as the trauma-conflict cycle and the impact trauma has on the developing brain. Tracy Lyman, MSEd, will present on “Introduction to the Pyramid Model: Promoting Social Emotional Competence and Addressing Challenging Behaviors,” which will include ways to develop a child’s social-emotional strength in the classroom. The day will finish with a panel discussion on ACEs.

The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register, contact the Parent Technical Assistant Center at www.ptac-stic.com, or call 607-724-2111 with any questions