Building Psychological Safety for Effective Leadership and Collaboration

MSAA Professional Development Workshop for Building Administrators, Department Heads, and Teachers 

Building Psychological Safety for Effective Leadership and Collaboration

This session will examine the critical role of psychological safety in fostering healthy, high-performing school environments. Participants will explore strategies to cultivate trust, encourage open dialogue, and support risk-taking without fear of judgment. Through real-world examples and actionable tools, participants will learn to empower educators and staff to innovate, collaborate, and navigate challenges more effectively. 

Join us to discover how psychological safety can enhance organizational resilience, improve decision-making, and drive sustainable success in your district.

SMART Goals for the Session:

·         Cultivate Trust Across Teams: By the end of the session, participants will design a plan to implement at least two strategies to build trust and open communication within district leadership teams, achieving a measurable improvement in team cohesion within six months

·         Empower Staff to Innovate: Participants will identify and implement one new initiative aimed at fostering a psychologically safe environment for staff to share ideas and take risks, leading to a 20% increase in staff-reported innovation on annual surveys by the next academic year

·         Improve Decision-Making Processes: Participants will integrate practices that encourage inclusive and transparent decision-making, with a target of increasing staff and educator satisfaction with leadership communication by 15% on feedback surveys within the next six months

When: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am

Delivery Method: In-Person Workshop

Location: The MSAA Office, 33 Forge Parkway, Franklin, MA

Presenters: Dr. Elvio Ferreira, Brockton Public Schools

                            Dr. Katie Warren, Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School

PD Hours: 3 in Content Area Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

Fees: Member $ 150 / Non-Member $205

MSAA Contact: Ethel Kawesa, ekawesa@msaa.net

Dr. Elvio Ferreira | Brockton Public Schools

Dr. Elvio Ferreira is an accomplished educational leader with over twenty-three years of experience in teaching, administration, and district-level leadership. His extensive career has provided him with the expertise to guide schools toward sustained success through instructional leadership, curriculum development, data-driven decision-making, and school improvement planning. His commitment to professional growth and educational excellence has positioned him as a highly respected leader in the field of career and technical education (CTE).

Throughout his career, Dr. Ferreira has played a pivotal role in shaping academic and vocational curricula, aligning them with evolving educational standards such as the Common Core State Standards. His experience in data analysis—including MCAS, Accuplacer, SAT, Dual Enrollment, and Advanced Placement testing—has allowed him to support teachers in identifying student strengths, and addressing learning gaps effectively. 

Dr. Ferreira has also been instrumental in professional development, having led training on the Educator Evaluation System, SMART Goal writing, and the Five-Step Cycle of Evaluation. As a principal and superintendent in Fall River, he collaborated with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to plan a new regional technical high school, demonstrating his ability to navigate complex educational initiatives and facilities planning.

Dr. Ferreira holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Portuguese with a minor in Spanish from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He earned a Master of Arts in Teaching, and completed his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.