This course satisfies the Safety, Support and Wellness requirement for the School Culture Advocate Certification. Learn more at www.safeschoolsacademy.org/csca.

Course description: When someone is diagnosed with a serious health condition, priorities can drastically change. But being so focused on coping – or in some cases, just surviving – doesn’t mean education must fall to the wayside. For some students, school can be a refuge—a place where life goes on as before. For others, worries about an illness they or a loved one are facing may result in changes in behavior and their ability to handle schoolwork, and relationships with peers. Illness of a student or their family member also poses challenges for educators who are trying to find a balance between comforting the student while still focusing on teaching an entire class, wondering how to respond to behavioral changes, and respecting privacy concerns of the student and family while still answering students’ questions and handling communication with the larger school community. How teachers and other school staff respond at this difficult time can make an enormous difference in the life of a student who is navigating a serious illness. This course helps participants identify the roles educators can play in supporting students coping with a serious illness, situations in which the classroom curriculum may need to be adjusted, and particular aspects of child development and temperament that affect how a child may understand and cope with illness. This course also offers practical suggestions that educators can implement in their work with students coping with illness, as well as provide strategies for communicating more effectively with both parents and students. Educators can play a key role in nurturing these students, helping bolster their natural resilience, monitoring them for behavioral or academic challenges, and working with the parents to help support the student.

Click here to access the course syllabus.

This is a 2-credit course.*

*Participants taking Drake graduate credit can enroll in a maximum of 12 graduate hours per academic semester.  If you take more than 12 credit hours, not all of your credits will be issued nor will your money be refunded. 

Upcoming sections:
January 19, 2025 - March 1, 2025
March 23, 2025 - May 3, 2025
May 18, 2025 - June 28, 2025

Course Fees (✨🎅🎁 Happy Holidays!: $40 License Renewal Credit and $140 Grad Credit now through 1/5/25! Prices automatically applied—NO CODE REQUIRED! ✨🎅🎁):

License Renewal - $190 $80
Para credit - $190 $80
Graduate Credit - $350 $280
Audit - $70

If you have questions, check out our FAQ page! You can also email academy@iowasafeschools.org or call 515.381.0588 if you’d prefer to pay by check.

Cancellation/Refund Policy
Please review our Terms & Conditions for more information on our refund and transfer policy.

Minimum Registration Limit
Beginning 8/1/2021, the minimum registration limit for a class will be three (3) registrants. If your registered class does not meet the minimum registration limit one week prior to your course start date, our Registrar will contact you about future transfer options.

Transcripts
Please allow up to two weeks for transcripts to be processed following a course end date. Request your transcripts by going to http://www.safeschoolsacademy.org/transcripts.