Centering Wellness, Connection, and Learning: CANI’s Professional Development Partnership with 21st Century Charter School

CEO, Tracy Lewis, presenting on Student Engagement through Social Emotional Learning

To kick off the new year, 21st Century Charter School brought together staff for its Spring 2026 Professional Development Day, welcoming a series of presenters to engage educators ahead of the semester’s return to the classroom. Professional Development Days provide an opportunity for staff learning, growth, collaboration, and the continued strengthening of professional expertise.

Community Advocates of Northern Indiana (CANI) was honored to be invited back for the second consecutive year to lead and coordinate the majority of the day’s sessions, including facilitating breakout sessions and delivering the keynote presentation. CANI brought in presenters Dr. Trevaughn Davis-Neal of Nzinga MInd & Heart, CANI Chief Executive Officer Tracy Lewis, and CANI Marketing Director Kirsten Robinson. Janine Sheppard, a veteran educator with 37 years of classroom experience, also joined the day to lead a breakout session focused on classroom management.

This year’s professional development emphasized social emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom, with a focus on maintaining meaningful human connection in an increasingly digital world—an approach aligned with CANI’s ongoing commitment to educator and student wellness.

Dr. Davis-Neal opened the day by highlighting the importance of emotional wellness, both personally for educators and within the classroom environment. She introduced tools to support emotional awareness and shared practical coping strategies for managing stress and overwhelm. Her presentation set the tone for the day by centering educator well-being as a critical foundation for student success.

Janine Sheppard, a former educator with 37 years of experience, led a breakout session focused on classroom management. She discussed the importance of building strong relationships with students and having the right tools in place to support positive classroom environments. Reflecting on her session, Sheppard shared:

“It’s important to make the connections with the students, and I felt that was a really good way to get them to think about how they react to behaviors in their classrooms and how they might handle things differently.”

Tracy Lewis on Student Engagement through SEL

CANI CEO Tracy Lewis followed with a presentation on student engagement through Social Emotional Learning. Her session explored the often misunderstood and underrecognized connection between stress, regulation, and physical health. Lewis emphasized how elevated stress can shift students from a learning state into a survival response—fight, flight, or freeze—and how chronic stress may contribute to disengagement, irritability, and withdrawal. She also addressed how prolonged stress can impact sleep, nutrition, obesity risk, and heart health.

William Roberts, Assistant Principal at 21st Century Charter School, addressed the evolving digital landscape in education, noting that while technology has become increasingly prevalent—particularly following COVID-19—it should complement, not replace, the human element of teaching.

“We cannot dismiss technology where it’s not used, because we have to remember students today are what you call techno natives,” Roberts said. “They’ve known technology all their lives, so not equipping them to use it properly is a disservice. When we understand that citizenship is not only civic but also digital, pairing the two helps us navigate how to operate in a culture heavily supported by technology.”

Kirsten Robinson on Purposeful Technology Integration in the Classroom

With classroom technology use at an all-time high, Kirsten Robinson led a session focused on purposeful technology integration that enhances learning while preserving human connection. She shared examples of how tools such as shared Google Docs can support collaboration, followed by in-person discussion to reinforce engagement. When used intentionally, technology can strengthen the connection between educator, student, and content rather than replace interpersonal interaction.

Janelle Williams, Elementary Principal at 21st Century Charter Academy, emphasized the value of the ongoing partnership with CANI, stating:

“CANI consistently delivers professional development that is relevant, practical, and responsive to the needs of our educators. Their work around work-life harmony, social-emotional support for students, classroom management, and technology has had a meaningful impact on both staff wellness and instructional practice.”

Vice Principal Roberts also noted that the sessions provided insights that were either new or valuable reminders for educators, reinforcing the importance of caring for oneself while remaining attentive to student needs in order to provide meaningful support.

As the professional development day concluded, a clear theme emerged: supporting students begins with supporting educators. Through CANI-led sessions and partnerships like this, 21st Century Charter School continues to invest in both staff and students, fostering a positive and sustainable learning environment.

CANI remains committed to empowering communities through education, advocacy, and resources by collaborating with partners to promote healthier outcomes. CANI is honored to have played a leading role in this year’s professional development day and looks forward to continuing this partnership in the future.