For the second year in a row, Harris County Department of Education’s expertise in alternative education garnered attention from some of the country’s largest school districts at the National Dropout Prevention Conference. The gathering, held in Orlando, Florida, this year, is designed to bring best practices, research, and practical strategies to educators who serve at-risk students.

Fortis Academy Principal Travita Godfrey and Recovery Program Coordinator Andrinee Martinez led more than 30 attendees in a session titled “Anchoring Positive Change While Navigating the C’s.” The presentation detailed the art of maintaining a positive school climate while fostering individual growth and responsibility. Godfrey and Martinez revealed how the C’s – culture, climate, connection, collaboration, cognition, and competency – collaboratively fuel positive student/teacher relationships and create cooperative learning experiences.

Representatives from school districts nationwide were captivated by Fortis’ innovative method of nurturing healthy connections beyond school grounds. Fortis’ approach incorporates diverse strategies, including its culinary arts program, group therapy sessions, and mindfulness assessments.

To learn more about HCDE’s Special Schools, visit hcde-texas.org/special-schools.