From Fitting In to Belonging: Using the Belonging Matrix to Unlock Human Potential

This virtual session will equip attendees with a research-informed understanding of belonging using insights from the 2024 Belonging Barometer and translates those findings into practical application through the Belonging Matrix and the 4 Directions of Belonging framework. Participants will explore how staff and students move between states of exposure, guardedness, fitting in, and true belonging depending on both their level of vulnerable authenticity and the supportiveness of their environments, and will learn targeted strategies to reduce belonging ambiguity, strengthen relational authority practices, and design school systems that intentionally foster internal, peer, adult, and community belonging. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with actionable tools for assessing belonging signals in their schools and implementing interventions that improve engagement, mental health, and student outcomes.

Develop a systems-level understanding of belonging and its impact on student well-being, engagement, and school climate.

Strengthen their ability to recognize patterns that influence belonging across student, peer, educator, and institutional environments.

Expand their perspective on the role of school psychologists as leaders who shape environments that foster belonging.

Identify opportunities to integrate belonging-informed practices into assessment, consultation, and intervention processes across their schools.