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Tools and Resources for TK-12 School Leaders to Become Climate Ready
Room: 208
Time: 11:30am – 12:30pm
The Earth’s climate is warming, largely due to human activity, leading to dangerous changes across the globe. Record-breaking weather extremes—extreme heat, increased droughts, wildfires, rising sea levels, and intensified storms—are already impacting California’s school communities. These changes are straining limited resources, causing costly infrastructure damage, disrupting learning, and contributing to youth mental health crises. Low-income, communities of color, and other marginalized populations are often disproportionately affected by these climate related challenges.
This workshop will feature stories from California LEAs that have integrated a climate-ready approach to emergencies. Attendees will learn how to access tools and resources to understand and adapt to climate impacts relevant to their regions. The session will also cover where to find curriculum and trauma-informed mental health resources to support teaching and counseling staff before, during, and after climate-related emergencies.
This workshop is an important introduction to the imperative for climate adaptation in K-12 schools, and showcases the cutting edge resources that have just recently become available to school leaders for building resilience and becoming better prepared to protect both infrastructure and the mental health of students in the face of climate-related emergencies.Participants will leave the session armed with tools for implementing a data-driven, and equity-informed approach to adopting a climate-ready mindset for emergency response. This is essential to mitigate school closures and further learning loss.
Learning Objectives:
Identify Climate Vulnerabilities: Attendees will be able to identify which climate impacts (extreme heat, extreme freeze, storm-based flooding, wildfires, sea level rise, etc…) are most relevant to their school communities. Additionally, Participants will identify the disproportionate effects of climate change on communities of color, low-income communities, and other vulnerable populations.
Integrating a Climate-Ready Mindset: Attendees will learn from case studies of Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in California that have successfully integrated climate resilience into their operations. They will gain insights into strategies for shifting from a reactive mind-set to a climate-ready proactive mindset that will help leaders prepare for and respond to climate-related emergencies in schools.
Utilizing Tools and Resources for Climate Adaptation: Participants will be equipped with practical tools and resources to help school leaders adapt to the challenges posed by climate change, including strategies for infrastructure resilience and crisis management, and supporting the mental health of students affected by climate-related disasters.
Utilizing Trauma-Informed Tools and Resources: Participants will also be equipped with academic and social and emotional resources to support the learning and mental health of students affected by climate-related disasters.
Speakers:
Andra Yeghoian, Chief Innovation Officer, Ten Strands
Stephanie Seidmon, Program Director, UndauntedK12
Andra Yeghoian is the Chief Innovation Officer for Ten Strands, a San Francisco Based nonprofit whose mission is to build and strengthen the partnerships and strategies that brings environmental literacy to all California’s students. Andra has over 20 years of experience in education across public and private school systems, nationally and internationally, and has served in a variety of roles, including: County-Level Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator, Site-Level Director of Sustainability, Secondary Humanities Teacher, Project Manager, Professional Development Facilitator, Adjunct Faculty, and Organizational Consultant. She holds a B.A. in International Relations and a Teaching Credential from UC Davis, and an MBA in Sustainable Systems from Presidio Graduate School, and an Administrative Services Credential.
Most recently, Andra’s work has focused on implementing visionary leadership for a whole systems approach to integrating environmental and climate action across all aspects of K-12 schools: campus and operations, curriculum and instruction, community engagement, and organizational culture. Additionally, under her leadership she has supported school sites, districts, and county offices in achieving honors such as the U.S. Department of Education and California Green Ribbon Award, Bay Area Green Business Certification, and LEED Platinum Certification for New Buildings.
Stephanie Seidmon (she/her) is the Program Director at UndauntedK12, where she plays a crucial role in advancing state and national strategies for promoting healthy, decarbonized, and climate-resilient schools. She leads initiatives in California, supporting the Climate Ready Schools Coalition’s advocacy, overseeing strategic projects, and expanding networks and partnerships. Stephanie brings a decade of experience in public education and climate justice advocacy, where she has served as a celebrated teacher and instructional leader in Louisiana, Mexico, and California.
