Upcoming Workshop
"Drive Student Engagement Both In and Out of the Classroom"
Presenter: Sarah Weisbarth of
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 3:15 pm to 4:45 pm
on ZOOM
Improving Student Engagement Through Developmental Relationships
Student engagement begins with meaningful relationships. Grounded in the Search Institute's Developmental Relationships Framework, this interactive session explores how educators, paraprofessionals, and school leaders can intentionally build connections that help students feel valued, supported, challenged, and empowered. Participants will examine the five elements of developmental relationships, learn practical strategies that strengthen trust and belonging, and discover how relationship-centered practices positively impact engagement, learning, and school culture.
Through discussion, reflection, and real-world application, attendees will leave with actionable tools they can implement immediately in classrooms, programs, and school environments to foster stronger relationships and create conditions in which both students and staff thrive. Open to all educators and school professionals.
Learning Outcomes:
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Understand the five elements of developmental relationships.
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Explore research connecting relationships to student engagement and success.
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Learn practical strategies for building trust, support, and student voice.
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Identify ways to strengthen school culture through relationship-centered practices.
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Leave with tools that can be implemented immediately in educational settings.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If you use the interactive form, please remember to do a "Save As" after you type in your information to save the form to your computer. Then you can print the form to mail or attach the form to email to NELMS.
Discover You™
Discover You™ is a Michigan-based nonprofit that equips and inspires adults who work with youth with practical tools and strategies to support students in building resilience, strengthening relationships, and increasing academic success. Combining more than 25 years of youth development expertise with research from the Search Institute, the program provides training and evidence-based curriculum that can be immediately applied in daily interactions with youth.
Presenter Information
Sarah Weisbarth
Sarah Weisbarth is a master trainer, facilitator, leadership development coach, and positive psychology practitioner with more than a decade of experience helping individuals, teams, and organizations grow through meaningful learning experiences. As the Discover You Director, she partners with educators and youth-serving professionals to strengthen engagement, foster belonging, and create relationship-focused schools that support engaged student learning. Drawing on expertise in developmental relationships, leadership development, positive psychology, and adult learning, Sarah equips educators with practical strategies that build connection, increase motivation, and create learning environments where every young person feels seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.