Lee County Schools proudly hosted educators from across the district for a day of professional learning focused on strengthening student mental health, improving classroom environments, and equipping schools with effective behavior management strategies.
The workshop, “Partnering Together to Help Students Thrive,” was made possible through funding provided to Partnership for Children & Families (PFCF) through the Community-level Approaches to Supporting Youth Mental Health and Resilience Grant awarded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. Through collaboration with PFCF and early childhood educators across Lee County, the district continues to demonstrate its shared commitment to ensuring every child has a safe, stable, and nurturing environment to thrive.
“When we align our efforts, starting with our earliest learners, we create stronger foundations and smoother transitions for children and families,” said Kristy Arey, Executive Director for Partnership for Children & Families. “We know that supporting student behavior and mental wellness is not separate from learning - it is foundational to it. Kelvin Oliver’s workshop helps us move from intention to action in ways that will benefit classrooms across our county.”
The featured presenter, Kelvin Oliver, is a nationally recognized educational consultant specializing in practical, effective behavior management systems that integrate fresh perspectives and strategies that understand the realities of today’s classrooms and schools. His training offers realistic strategies to improve student performance by addressing student behavior with high expectations and effective efforts by all stakeholders.
With experience as a special education teacher, general education teacher, math specialist, district curriculum specialist, assistant principal and principal, Oliver brings wide-ranging experience that is in-tune with classroom realities of the modern student and system leadership. He has supported educators nationwide since 2017 and is known for translating complex student-behavior challenges into actionable strategies teachers can implement immediately.
The training emphasized that supporting student behavior and mental wellness is foundational to academic achievement. Local educators explored strategies to strengthen relationships, create positive classroom cultures, and implement consistent, research-informed approaches to discipline and learning that benefit students across grade levels.
Through strong community partnerships and strategic investment in educator development, Lee County Schools continues to enhance support systems from early childhood through graduation. By prioritizing social-emotional learning and positive behavior supports, the district remains focused on building a stronger Lee County, one classroom and one student at a time.
“Today’s session was a great example of how educators across Lee County are working together to help all students thrive,” said Dr. Lisa Duffey, Executive Director of Student Services for Lee County Schools. “We are grateful to the Partnership for Children and Families for bringing together educators from preschools all the way to the high school level in our district for a day of thought provoking learning.”