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Posted: 6/06/19

TAMIU College of Education Faculty Present at School Safety Summer Institute

 

Dr. Benigno
Dr. Stephen Benigno  

A group of three Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) College of Education faculty members will present on safety preparedness at school campuses at Texas A&M University’s Critical Dialogues and Actions on Safety and Challenges in Schools Summer Institute Friday-Saturday, June 7-8.

Dr. Stephen Benigno, assistant professor of Education; Dr. Maria Viloria, assistant professor of Education; and Dr. Lorraine Dinkel, associate professor of School Counseling, will present at the Hilton College Station and Conference Center in College Station as part of the Accelerated Preparation of leaders for Underserved Schools (APLUS): Building Instructional Capacity to Impact Diverse Learners Project, funded through the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant program.

The Project incorporates multiple, innovative approaches to developing school leaders, including opportunities for earning an online master’s degree in educational administration, virtual mentoring and coaching, professional learning environments and communities, and a summer leadership institute, Dr. Viloria explained.

TAMIU College of Education Dean Dr. James O’Meara said the faculty members’ participation in the Summer Institute is an example of efforts highlighted by the Texas A&M University System-wide “We Teach Texas” campaign.

“These impressive efforts by our faculty help remind us of the important role school counselors and school administrators play in ensuring every success story starts in a classroom,” he said, “Our faculty are the local drivers in our System initiative to encourage more interest in the teaching profession through our ‘We Teach Texas’ campaign.”

At the Summer Institute, Dr. Benigno will participate in a panel titled, “Leadership Safety Panel: Let’s Do What We are Supposed to Do.” In the panel, he will discuss school safety and the implications of recent initiatives by school districts to increase campus discussions. His panel participation is also based on a paper he previously presented here and abroad titled, “Fear and Threat: School Shootings and Violence in the United States.”

“The premise of the paper and the presentation address the fear factor of school violence, the actual threat of school shooting and solutions that are already available to school leaders,” Dr. Benigno said.

Dr. Viloria’s presentation is titled, “Perspectives on Emergency Preparedness: Rural and Urban School Districts.” During the presentation, she will collaborate with three school districts who will discuss their safety plans.

Dr. Viloria’s presentation is based on her paper, titled, “Critical Dialogues and Action Safety and Mental Health Challenges in Schools.” She will discuss the definition of school safety and the importance of a readiness assessment of a campus in order to ensure students’ safety at all times.

Dr. Dinkel’s presentation is titled, “Recognizing the Impact of Media on Bullies and Bullying.” This presentation reviews the use of the Netflix show, “13 Reasons Why,” and the impact of topics utilized in the show regarding mental health, substance use, sexual assault, and many forms of bullying, to instruct professional school counselor candidates on crisis in the current school setting. She will also inform school leaders on the legal expectations for professional school counselors in addressing bullying in the school setting. 

For more information, please contact Dr. Benigno at 956.326.2681, email sbenigno@tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 419F.

University office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

 

 

viloria

 Dr. Maria Viloria

 

 Dr. Dinkel

Dr. Lorraine Dinkel