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The Queering Education Research Institute (QuERI) will offer a half-day workshop on April 1 for area K-12 educators on improving school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students. Pre-service teachers, students and allies are also welcome to attend.

“Queer Students CNY: A Day of Art, Education and Action” will run from 12:30-6:30 p.m., Friday, April 1 at ���ϲ�����’s XL Projects Gallery, 307 S. Clinton St. Workshops are free, but registration is required” Contact QuERI at rsis@syr.edu for a registration form. Discounted parking is available if arranged in advance; call (315) 443-3343. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are also available.

QuERI, housed in the ���ϲ����� , is running the event in preparation for New York State’s new Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). The act will take effect in 2012 and will require schools to provide supportive learning environments for LGBTQ and gender non-conforming students.

QuERI is a think-tank and research initiative formally affiliated with the School of Education’s Cultural Foundations of Education Department. The institute serves to bridge the gap between research and practice in the teaching of LGBTQ students, the creation of LGBTQ youth affirming environments and LGBTQ youth-serving programs.

The workshop will include several professional development sessions run through Reduction of Stigma in Schools (RSIS), a professional development program offered by QuERI in area schools since 2006. These sessions include “Supporting the Transgender Elementary School Student;” “Bullying, Gender Policing and Middle School;” “The LGBTQ High School Experience;” and “Looking Toward DASA Compliance.”

The Queer Students workshop will feature artwork from more than 60 area youth exploring their experiences as LGBTQ students in Central New York, as well as an original student theater piece on being LGBTQ in Central New York schools. The day will conclude with a panel of LGBTQ students discussing their experiences in schools and sharing their vision for more supportive school environments.

RSVPs are appreciated; send an email to rsis@syr.edu, or call (315) 443-3343. For more information, visit .

In addition to the professional development workshop, the Queer Students CNY event will include a morning roundtable discussion from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for graduate students conducting research in the area of LGBTQ issues in education. Participants will be able to present their work, and faculty members conducting research in this field are welcome to attend.

Interested graduate students should RSVP to ecpayne@syr.edu,  or 443-3343 by March 25 with their name, university program and degree, research topic and abstract and contact information.