The Vermont Principals’ Association is inviting you to the first ever VPA Assistant Principal’s Conference. Join us at the Marriot Delta in South Burlington for colleagueship, rejuvenation, inspiration and meaningful professional learning.
Keynote Baruti Kafele: is a nationally acclaimed educator and transformational school leader known for his expertise in closing the “Attitude Gap” and fostering equitable, high-performing school environments. Principal Kafele will inspire and challenge attendees to reflect deeply on their leadership practices. A prolific writer, Principal Kafele has written extensively on professional development strategies for creating a positive school climate and culture, transforming the attitudes of at-risk students, motivating Black males to excel in the classroom, and school leadership practices for inspiring schoolwide excellence. In addition to writing several professional articles for popular education journals, he has authored fourteen books, including his seven ASCD best sellers –Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School & in Life, Closing the Attitude Gap, Is My School a Better School BECAUSE I Lead It?, The Teacher 50, The Principal 50, The Assistant Principal 50 and The Equity & Social Justice Education 50. His newest book, What is My Value INSTRUCTIONALLY to the Teachers I Supervise? was recently released in December, 2024. Principal Kafele is also the creator and host of the popular AP & New Principals Academy, streamed live every Saturday morning on his AP & New Principals Academy YouTube channel.
Workshop 1: Beyond the Numbers: Merging Data and Care to Strengthen Student Mental Health
Assistant principals are often at the crossroads of academic leadership and student wellness. This workshop explores how data-informed practices—when paired with a culture of care and connection—can create powerful, responsive school mental health systems. Grounded in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, this session highlights how one school uses SEL data to guide decision-making, build an intentional and effective social work team, and deliver tiered interventions that support both individual students and schoolwide well-being. Participants will also learn how nontraditional supports—like therapy animals (pictured)—are being integrated to build connection, foster emotional regulation, and promote trust. Join us to explore how to lead student support systems with both precision and heart.
Co-Presenter: Elisabeth Smith, LICSW, is a lifelong Vermont resident in the role of Student Support Specialist Intervention at BFA St. Albans. Her passion and training in Animal Assisted Therapy have unleashed exciting positive impacts in community, residential, and both alternative and public school settings. Elisabeth’s therapeutic focus areas include adolescent social learning, emotional regulation, anxiety, depression, trauma, and crisis intervention.
Co-Presenter: Cori Enos is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and school social worker at Bellows Free Academy (BFA) in St. Albans, VT. She brings nearly 10 years of experience supporting youth mental health in schools and a background in community-based work with youth and families. She’s especially passionate about helping young people thrive both in and out of the classroom, guiding them as they navigate school, life challenges, and the path toward adulthood. When she’s not working she enjoys spending time with her family, and taking walks with her dog, Oakley.
Co- Presenter: Lance Metayer is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with nearly two decades of experience supporting youth and families impacted by trauma and chronic stress. He’s worked across Vermont’s mental health system in both direct service and leadership roles. Over the last decade he has led statewide training efforts reaching over 7,500 educators, foster parents, and community members. Lance now works as a school social worker at Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, where he supports high school students every day. He’s passionate about reducing stigma, promoting early intervention, and helping schools become more supportive, connected places for all students.
Workshop 2: Restorative Learning Pathways; Do Better When You Know Better
Burlington School District’s Restorative Learning Pathways were developed as an educational alternative to punitive discipline, providing structured opportunities for students to reflect, learn, and take accountability after incidents of harm. These pathways cover a wide range of issues—from racism, ableism, and homophobia to cyberbullying, body shaming, and chronic lateness—helping students understand the history, impact, and context of their actions. This workshop will guide educators through how to prepare for and facilitate Learning Pathways. Participants will explore how restorative approaches shift mindsets, strengthen relationships, and foster accountability without exclusionary punishment. Rooted in the principle that we do better when we know better, this session equips educators with tools to transform harm into learning and create school cultures grounded in belonging, justice, and repair.
Co-Presenter: Autumn Bangoura, Burlington School District Equity Instructional Leader, originally started her teaching career as a French & Spanish teacher and has a Master of Arts in Teaching Second Language. She taught 4th grade for 8 years at the Integrated Arts Academy at BSD and then moved into a district leadership role in 2019. She joined the BSD Office of Equity to advance Restorative Practices in schools and address school based inequities. In 2021 she started the Summer Racial Justice Academy which focused on developing youth leadership opportunities and organizing for more systemic change in schools.
Co-Presenter: Antony Dennis, the Interim Principal of the Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes Elementary School, has worked in the Burlington School District since 2010. Education is his second career, and he has served in various roles since 2001, including as a math teacher, paraeducator, and Behavior Interventionist. Throughout his career, he has focused on restorative practices, fostering strong relationships, and building a community where students and teachers can succeed.
Workshop 3: Readiness for Restorative Practice
School administrators and colleagues who want to advance restorative practice in their settings can encounter a variety of obstacles. One obstacle has to do with the readiness of the school community for restorative practice. Often there are hesitations because people think it means there are no consequences when rules are broken or harm occurs. Another obstacle has to do with the readiness of the individuals involved. It is difficult to achieve the fairly advanced levels of reflection, empathy, and self-awareness and emotional regulation that successful restorative approaches require of those involved. This workshop will provide basic frameworks for developing the readiness and willingness of both individuals and the wider community for the advancement of restorative practice in your schools.
Co-Presenter: Annie O’Shaughnessy, M.Ed. After a career as an educator in public, private, and alternative schools, Annie began offering trainings and seminars across the state and country in restorative practices, mindfulness, and trauma informed practices through her organization True Nature Teaching. Her many years of experience as a teacher, advanced training in both trauma informed and restorative practices, and a M.Ed. in Mindfulness for Educators prepared her well to be of benefit to students, educators and schools across the state and nationally. She is now the founder and coordinator of the Holistic Restorative Education Certificate Program at Saint Michael’s College and the co-founder of Starling Collaborative, a nonprofit founded to support schools and organizations across the country to implement holistic restorative approaches.
Co-Presenter: Elijah Hawkes is Director of School Leadership Programs at the Upper Valley Educator Institute. Hewas a principal for sixteen years, including ten years at Randolph Union in Vermont, and six years as founding principal of the James Baldwin School in New York City. He is author of two books: School for the Age of Upheaval: Classrooms that Get Personal, Get Political, and Get to Work (2020) and Woke is Not Enough: School Reform for Leaders with Justice in Mind (2022). He also teaches with VHEC and in the Holistic Restorative Education certificate program at St. Michael’s College. www.elijahhawkes.com
Workshop 4: The ARC of Repair: Acknowledge, Commit, Hope: A Leadership Development Seminar for Assistant Principals
When relationships in schools experience strain—whether between staff, students, or families—leaders are called to respond with clarity, integrity, and care. This one-hour professional development session introduces assistant principals to The ARC of Repair, a practical framework grounded in the principles of Acknowledge, Commit, and Hope. Through active engagement strategies including video analysis, real-world scenarios, peer roleplay, and reflective practice, participants will explore how to navigate difficult conversations, rebuild trust, and lead with intention. Walk away with actionable tools, a deeper understanding of restorative leadership, and renewed confidence to repair and strengthen school communities.
Presenter: Dovid Yagoda is the assistant principal at Colchester Middle School after having been a science teacher and dean of students in Chittenden county. At Colchester he is responsible for conflict management, the implementation of restorative practices and student body management. Much of his time is devoted to teaching his students about the WHY of things to help them better understand the implications of their behaviors and interactions. Influenced by work in the outdoor education sector Dovid uses a creative approach to working with staff and students to change the culture of CMS.
FAQs
Do I need to be an assistant principal to attend? No. The keynote and workshops will be beneficial for many roles. If you review the content and see elements that are related to your work and/or want to support your assistant principal(s) by attending, please do so.
Will any of the sessions be hybrid in case I can’t attend in person? No, these sessions will be available in-person only on this occasion.
Cancellation Policy: For all Vermont Principals’ Association professional learning events, the VPA must be notified of any cancellations no later than 10 days prior to the event. Cancellation notifications received after the 10 day deadline will be subject to a fee of 50% of the total cost of registration. The reason for this 50% policy is it allows us to at least recoup the venue and food costs counts for the event which are locked in with the venue about ten days ahead of an event.