Professional Development

By Antionette Meeks of Cairn Guidance, a Dove Self-Esteem Project Partner The Dove Self-Esteem Project (DSEP) has reached more than 82 million young people worldwide. Educators provide the instruction and DSEP cadre trainers (cadre), by in large, introduce DSEP to educators across the United States. Each year, the cadre come together to refresh, refocus, and reorient themselves on how to best share DSEP updates and new associated educational resources with educators. This year, cadre Read ▸ about DSEP Cadre Trainers “Connected the Dots” at Their 2022 Retreat

Build your capacity to teach the health skills outlined in the National Health Education Standards and support student social emotional learning, mental health, and health literacy! Cairn Guidance and RMC Health are excited to announce our Deep Dive into the National Health Education Standards Virtual Training Series. The intended audience includes K-12 heath teachers, curriculum specialists, instructional coaches, school counselors and school nurses teaching health education. This series is Read ▸ about Skills-Based Health Education Virtual Training Series!

Samantha, Britnee, and I spent a lot of time discussing the pro's and con's of getting together in Oregon during an ongoing pandemic. We are all fully vaxxed and boostered, but we knew there was still risk in coming together to meet in person. In the end, we felt like the in-person time to build our team culture (Britnee is fairly new to our team), work on strategic planning, operations and just hang out... was worth the effort! Samantha and I had to fly in from Kentucky and Read ▸ about Cairn Guidance Retreat

We have officially scheduled virtual training dates for the two Systems Simulations!Have you ever been interested in systems thinking approaches, intersectionality of the ten Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child components, understanding how to address resistance & create buy-in and leadership development opportunities? If so, we are offering both the Making Change Happen & Systems Thinking; Systems Changing simulations virtually! To learn about Read ▸ about Systems Simulations Being Offered Virtually In Fall!

“ AXE wants young men to grow up confident in their own brand of masculinity. ” Cairn Guidance is pleased to announce a new partnership with AXE to address gender stereotypes, bias and harassment by offering a no-cost program, Generation Unlabeled, for the school setting. Our partnership and new curriculum was publicly announced at SHAPE America in Tampa last month with a sponsorship of the General Session, a performance by Carlos Andrés Gómez and a vendor booth in the exhibit Read ▸ about Announcing A New Partnership with AXE!

Today, I cried for the first time while facilitating. It came from holding in the fear, sadness and disappointment of the events of this week. It came from watching the images of Neo-Nazi’s and white supremacists march in the streets. Reading articles and editorials about where we are as a country.I cried because it felt safe to cry. Among 25 strangers. 25 professionals that work all over North Carolina to promote adolescent health, sexual health among teens, teen parenting support and teen Read ▸ about Today, I Cried While Facilitating

By Liz Thorne, VP of Policy and Programs, Cairn GuidanceI don’t like board games. Even when I was young, not interested. I had friends who would play Monopoly for hours, DAYS even, and I just could not buy in. And Yahtzee. Just shaking dice in a cup and rolling them? How boring! Read ▸ about Wait. Systems change, from a board game??

I don't remember when my first ASHA conference was, but it was at least ten years ago and I think I've attended every year since. The American School Health Association's mission is to transform all schools into places where every student learns and thrives. I'd love for the organization to grow, for all school administrators to put the health and well-being of their school community first in order to see their students' academics improve. However, that's not the world we live in. Read ▸ about American School Health Association Conference 2015