Root to Rise: FREE
Conference for Educators

ONLINE | April 17 – 19
PD Certificate for Attendees.
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Reclaiming Well-Being, Strength, & Community

Educators! Join us for a free, 3-day online conference designed to help you reconnect with your “why,” reclaim your resilience, and rise with renewed strength. Through powerful workshops, practical strategies, and meaningful conversations, you’ll gain tools to stay grounded and find calm, cultivate inner strength, understand the impact of stress and trauma, and foster classrooms rooted in safety, engagement, and belonging – for both you and your students.

P.S. Can’t make it live? No worries – register now, and we’ll send you the recordings!





Root Down to Rise Up:
The Complete Schedule

Powerful sessions designed to deepen your roots, expand your reach, and help you thrive.

RENEW

Unshakeable: Cultivating Resilience and Purpose in Teaching

Day 1 | Thursday, April 17 | 4-5:30pm PT, 7-8:30pm ET

Teaching is more than a profession – it’s a calling. But the demands of the classroom, shifting expectations, and personal challenges can shake even the most passionate educators.

In this empowering keynote, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith unveils the hidden forces that erode self-esteem and resilience, offering science-backed strategies and real-world insights to help teachers stand strong.

Through engaging stories and practical tools, she will help educators silence self-doubt, rise above burnout, and reignite their sense of purpose. Walk away inspired, equipped, and unshakable – ready to lead and teach with confidence.

(Note: PD certificates are issued to people who attend live.)

HEAL

The Science of Stress and Trauma: Supporting Students to Feel Safe, Supported, and Valued

Day 2 | Friday, April 18 | 4-5:30pm PT, 7-8:30pm ET

Before we can grow, we must feel safe and supported in the soil we grow from. This session digs deep into the science of stress and trauma, offering insight into how these forces impact both you and your students. You’ll gain practical tools to cultivate emotional safety, tend to your own well-being, and nurture a classroom environment where healing and growth can take root.

In this session, you’ll gain:

+ Trauma-Informed Tools: Practical strategies to support students with care and consistency.
+ Brain Science: Understand how stress shapes behavior, learning, and connection.
+ Connection Strategies: Foster strong roots of trust between students and educators.
+ Nervous System Support: Grounding practices that help regulate and restore.
+ Healing Practices: Daily rituals that help you and your students find strength in the face of adversity.

You’ll emerge with the confidence to recognize symptoms of stress and trauma as well as strategies to ensure your students feel safe, seen, and supported.

(Note: PD certificates are issued to people who attend live.)

THRIVE

From Isolation to Inspiration: How to Build Community, Engagement, and Belonging in Your Classroom

Day 3 | Saturday, April 19 | 9-10:30am PT, 12-1:30pm ET

When students feel like they belong, everything blossoms. In this interactive workshop, you’ll explore how connection is not just a nice-to-have—it’s the root of everything from classroom management to academic success. Join Dr. Ilana Nankin, Breathe For Change Founder & CEO, and Sam Levine, Associate Professor, as they share the latest research, tools, and mindsets to transform your classroom into a thriving community where every learner feels seen, safe, and inspired to grow.

In this workshop, you will:

+ Explore new research on how belonging fuels behavior, engagement, and achievement
+ Learn practical, SEL-infused strategies to cultivate community and trust
+ Create classroom routines that support emotional safety and meaningful engagement
+ Gain evidence-based techniques to create an inclusive, collaborative classroom culture
+ Engage directly with experts and get your real questions answered in real time

This session is your invitation to go from isolation to inspiration – to root your classroom in connection and rise into a more joyful and impactful way of teaching.

(Note: PD certificates are issued to people who attend live.)





Rooting for You

Get ready to learn with inspiring speakers here to help you reclaim your well-being, strength, and sense of belonging.

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, Guest Expert

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a Board-Certified internal medicine physician and work-life integration researcher whose work has been featured on TED, MSNBC, Forbes, and other national outlets. She is the founder of Restorasis, a professional development agency dedicated to restoring wellbeing in the workplace through its proprietary 7 Types of Rest Framework™.

Dr. Ilana Nankin, Founder

Dr. Ilana Nankin—the Founder & CEO of Breathe For Change—is an award-winning entrepreneur, teacher educator, and former public school teacher committed to using wellness as a vehicle for healing and social change. Ilana earned degrees in both psychology and education at UC Berkeley, and received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at University of Wisconsin.

Sam Levine, Associate Professor

Sam Levine began his career as an educator, teaching ESL in the Middle East and middle school science in D.C. A seasoned entrepreneur in education, he’s held leadership roles at Amplify, Coursera, and Hone. Sam is also a certified coach, yoga teacher, and facilitator in transformational leadership. He earned a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University, focusing on mind-body practices.