The current education system wasn’t built to hold our full humanity—so it keeps misreading trauma as trouble, survival as defiance, and brilliance as disobedience. In this transformational session, Dr. Felipe Mercado—professor, consultant, author, social worker and former principal—shares how the Wise Compassionate Framework is helping schools reimagine what it means to truly serve.
Blending clinical depth, real-life stories, and systems strategy, this session goes beyond theory to reveal what happens when schools continue business-as-usual—and what becomes possible when we lead with wisdom and compassion. Participants will:
- Reflect on a real-life story that reveals the life-or-death stakes of how we respond to student behavior
- Unpack why misbehavior is often misunderstood trauma—and how that misunderstanding drives disconnection and burnout
- Learn the core pillars of the Wise Compassionate Framework and how it transforms culture, climate, and adult capacity
- Leave with practical tools that restore safety, connection, and meaning in classrooms, schools, and systems
This isn’t just another training or traditional PD—it’s a revolution of care. For adults. For students. For the systems we’ve inherited and the futures we’re building. It’s time to stop repainting the walls—and rebuild the whole damn house, foundation first.
