Online Graduate-level Continuing Education Courses
for Professional Educators, Administrators, & Staff
SSPD360 courses are asynchronous online and accessible anytime and from anywhere at your convenience. We offer over 20 one-credit book studies and one, two, and three credit courses. Course credits are all graduate-level continuing education credit through MidAmerica Nazarene University, MNU. We filled our courses with research-backed strategies, tools, and resources to achieve targeted outcomes and build awareness of selected topics. Educators and specialists have developed the SSPD360 courses. These individuals are experts in their field and have a deep understanding of learning standards and current instructional practices.
Meet the Team
Nicole Albrecht
Nicole Albrecht (Nikki) is currently based in Seattle, Washington and is a qualified primary school and Japanese teacher. From 2011 to 2021 she worked in the Master of Wellness program at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. She has lectured in and coordinated the graduate topics: Wellness and Life Enhancement, MindBody Wellness, Wellness and Health Assessment, and the undergraduate topics: Introduction to MindBody Wellness and Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Health. She currently manages the topic Wellbeing and Positive Mental Health in Educational Communities, a core topic in the Master of Wellbeing and Positive Mental Health in Education at Flinders University, South Australia. She also provides individual tutoring in the First Nations’ Yunggorendi Tutorial Program at Flinders University.
Over the last decade Nikki has run a range of professional development courses for teachers – including Mindfulness Teacher Training, Mindful Communication and Nature-based Mindfulness. One of her latest awards includes the 2021 College of Education, Psychology & Social Work 2021 Special Learning & Teaching Award (peer nominated) for Innovative initiatives to promote student learning at Flinders University.
Her research work and doctoral studies have focussed on understanding the experiences of teachers, students, mindfulness instructors and health promotion staff when implementing mindfulness in school settings. She has consulted on several projects in Australia and New Zealand with government, faith-based and special needs schools and regularly reviews articles for a range of journals.
Cristy Worthington
Cristy holds a bachelor's degree in history, an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Administration from The College of William & Mary, and a certification in Mental Health First Aid for youth and adults. She has over 14 years of experience working with educators and students. Since 2019, she has worked exclusively with K-12 teachers, facilitating professional development courses and providing support and resources to educators, administrators, and school districts. Cristy has a genuine passion to share knowledge, strategies, and practical and relevant skills that have proven success in learning outcomes and are deeply embedded in educational research. She develops courses that go beyond providing content knowledge and that ultimately prepare educators to differentiate their instruction to reach all students, teach the whole child, and encourage leading from where you are with resources you already have available.
Summer Cowick
For over 15 years, Summer Cowick has taught students in all grades, specializing in middle school grades. In 2008, she made the jump to teaching gifted education in the Gardner-Edgerton School district in Kansas. After taking several years off to raise her own gifted daughter, she returned to the teaching world and earned her Master’s in Gifted Education from Emporia State. For the past 5 years, she has taught middle school gifted students in the Olathe School district in Kansas.
Coming Soon
Online Graduate-level Continuing Education