Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Education

Professional Development Offerings

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Vermont is committed to high quality professional development offerings in the area of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) education. A series professional development events have been designed to provide school staff with important current knowledge and skills related to alcohol, tobacco and other drug education. Professional development, ranging from staff updates to continuing education by design, are facilitated by qualified trainers who have met selection criteria requirements and competencies.

Center for Health and Learning presents ATOD trainings and events each season at regional centers throughout Vermont. Click here to see our upcoming trainings and professional development events in Vermont. Alternatively, professional development can be offered at your site and customized to your staff’s needs. Below, please see the options that Center for Health and Learning can offer your school staff. Please contact us for more details or to request professional development at your school.

CHL also offers trainings in research-based curricula that support ATOD education, including: Know Your Body; Life Skills Training; Michigan Model.

CHL provides on-site and regional face-to-face trainings, Webinars, audio and electronic discussions and on-site technical assistance from its Expert Level Cadre of trainers.
******************************************************************************************************************* AAAaaAAAll training designs are flexible and can be adapted to site-specific needsining designs are flexible and can be adapted to site-specific needs.

I. General Orientation (1.5 hours)
Audience:  Any school staff
Objectives. Participants will:

• Define school-based ATOD prevention and intervention strategies and apply to one’s own school or community
• Identify the next steps for learning more and/or moving towards implementation  

II. Educator Update Sessions - Shorter Intensives on a Variety of Topics (1-7 hours)
 Audience: Educators who have attended an ATOD Education training in the last seven years
 Objectives.  Participants will:

• Receive updated information on policy and programs
• Gain more in-depth knowledge and skills of a particular area within the ATOD Education curriculum

III. Comprehensive Educator Training (12-16 hours)
This training can be offered as a two-day regional training or as several afternoon sessions scheduled over a period of weeks.
Audience: Educators charged with the responsibility for implementing ATOD education in classroom settings or ATOD programs in schools; administrators; auxiliary staff (paraprofessionals/bus drivers); coaches.  A one- graduate level credit option is available. The graduate credit is earned by full attendance at the training sessions, implementation of a personal, curriculum or community project and submission of a final report. The syllabus for this course can be found at our web site.
Objectives.  Participants will:

• Receive knowledge and practice skills that address all items in the ATOD Education Curriculum Objectives.

• Receive knowledge and practice skills that address all items in the ATOD Education Curriculum Objectives.

V.  ATOD Online Course: Three-Hour Module
Audience: Educators who seek an online survey course that provides an overview of the ATOD Education Curriculum Objectives              
Objectives.  Participants will:

• Receive an overview of current knowledge, practice and policy related to the ATOD Education Curriculum Objectives   

VI. Educator Continuing Education (by design)
Audience: Educators or others in the prevention workforce interested in professional development beyond the ATOD Education Curriculum Objectives.
Examples include:

• Sharing successful strategies of instruction and implementation of ATOD Education
• Creating skills-based instruction and assessment
• Developing intervention strategy
• Special topics: e.g., inhalants, methamphetamines, etc. 

VI. Local Training of Trainers for ATOD Education Certification Program
Audience: School systems may identify a qualified staff member for the ATOD Education Trainer Continuum and certification process. This system has been carefully crafted to ensure the delivery of high quality ATOD education in Vermont.  In order to maintain these standards applications must have an administrator sponsor and applicants must meet basic qualifications. See Trainer Continuum and Trainer Competencies elsewhere on our web site.
Objectives.  Participants will:

• Receive training and certification in delivering the ATOD workshop within their school district or supervisory union using current curriculum objectives and best practice approaches.