Anderson, SC (March 24, 2020) — School closures are traumatizing students, families, and educators, presenting a new dropout risk factor and requiring schools to develop immediate virtual solutions. The National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) has produced topical videos and virtual professional development to support schools and educators during current uncertain times.
As an overview to the current school situation and its long-term effects, NDPC offers three videos suitable for viewing and subsequent online discussions for faculty. The Trauma of Pandemic School Disruption, hosted by John Gailer, developer of the Trauma-Skilled Schools Model, explores the far-reaching implications of trauma related to school disruption for students, staffs, families, and the community at large. View video here https://youtu.be/c0adDQH4Hro. A second video, School Disruption as a Dropout Risk Factor, hosted by Dr. Sandy Addis, Director of National Dropout Prevention Center, discusses the short- and long-term effects of school disruption on the nation’s dropout rates. View video here https://youtu.be/jeoWYeQuAWo. A third video, Virtual Learning in a Time of School Disruption, hosted by Ray McNulty, President of Successful Practices Network and National Dropout Prevention Center, explores the advantages of capitalizing on virtual learning. View video here https://youtu.be/Y29CjY7NLRA. As a supplement, each host is available for online discussions regarding his topic and for follow up interviews by contacting the NDPC at ndpc@199.250.201.124.
Additional offerings from NDPC include on-line courses that can deliver high-impact virtual professional development to educators who must work remotely during extended school shut down periods. Courses include five online courses in the Trauma-Skilled Schools Model, one course for each step of the model. Each of the three-hour interactive virtual courses addresses a component of chronic stress and trauma. Together, the five courses prepare an educator to implement trauma-skilled measures and to support other educators in their work with trauma-impacted students.
A second set of online courses includes 16 research-based effective dropout prevention strategies courses. Each three- to five-hour interactive virtual course addresses a specific dropout prevention
NDPC also offers free or reduced-cost virtual professional development. Hundreds of videos, archived broadcasts, and downloadable publications are available at no cost on the NDPC website. School systems are encouraged to access these resources and have staff members utilize them as professional learning tools during times of school closure. These resources may be previewed and accessed at www.dropoutprevention.org.
In addition, for a limited time, NDPC offers reduced fees for all online courses purchased as a block. The blocks of courses are available to schools and districts at significantly reduced cost. Rather than the standard cost of $99 per course, NDPC offers blocks of 50 courses at $50 per course, blocks of 100 courses at $40 per course, and blocks of 250 or more courses at $35 per course. Schools and districts wishing to purchase blocks of online courses for professional development during shutdown periods may review these courses at https://dropoutprevention.org/15-effective-strategies-online-courses/ and may send an email inquiry to ndpc@199.250.201.124.
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Media may contact Lynn Dunlap at ldunlap@199.250.201.124 to request interviews with John Gailer regarding the Trauma of Pandemic School Disruption, Dr. Sandy Addis regarding School Disruption as a Dropout Risk Factor, and Ray McNulty regarding Virtual Learning in a Time of School Disruption.
About the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
Begun in 1986 to serve as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention and to offer strategies to increase school graduation rates, the NDPC is also a national resource for sharing solutions for student success. The organization’s website—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the NDPC impacts education from the local to the national level. In 2018, NDPC joined Successful Practices Network and continues to deliver its mission and services under SPN’s guidance.
About Successful Practices Network
Successful Practices Network (SPN) is a not-for-profit organization that works with schools and districts globally. The organization is dedicated to bringing the most up-to-date resources and assistance to practitioners and others to achieve success by design, specializing in the areas of Dropout Prevention, Trauma Skills, Career and Technical Education and Literacy.