Greg Benner, O’Sullivan Professor of Special Education, Implementation Science from the University of Alabama is visiting Scottsbluff Public Schools as part of a week-long Professional Development Opportunity for Elementary Staff.
On February 14th and 17th, Dr. Benner held workshops for Elementary Teachers during Teacher Professional Development Days and has been spending hands on time in each elementary school observing classrooms and working hands on with teachers Wednesday through Friday.
Trainings have focused on Restorative Practices, Positive Behavior Supports, Zones of Regulation, and Strategies and Tools for Special Education.
Dr. Benner is a Helen and Pat O’Sullivan Endowed Professor, Special Education and Multiple Abilities at the University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa.
He specializes in preventive, systemic, and sustainable approaches for meeting the needs of the whole child, particularly those with emotional and behavioral disorders.
Dr. Benner has a knack for collective impact—getting whole communities including families, child welfare, mental health, and schools on the same page to meet needs of the whole child.
His book entitled Instructional Practices for Students with Behavioral Disorders: Strategies for Reading, Writing, and Math is part of the What Works for Special Needs Learners Series published by Guilford Press.
He is an Associate Editor for Behavioral Disorders and on the editorial review board for the Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. He has over 250 presentations and publications that reflect his ability to disseminate research findings and best practices to the field.
During his Scottsbluff visit, Dr. Benner has provided mentorship and guidance for the formation of the 3E Initiative in Scottsbluff. He has presented to the community on multiple occasions including the Roosevelt Reimagined event in 2017 and Building a Trauma Informed Community in 2018.
At Bluffs Middle School and Scottsbluff High School, teachers participated in team and department Professional Learning Communities, took part in Trauma Informed Practices training and attended a variety of targeted professional development at the ESU #13 Mid-Winter Conference.
Dr. Benner’s Training is funded by the Transforming School Cultures Grant.
