Students learn best when they feel connected, valued, and supported. Yet today’s educators are facing unprecedented challenges as many children struggle with loneliness, social isolation, and underdeveloped social skills. According to the 2024 OECD’s PISA study, 22% of US students reported feeling lonely at school, and 24% felt like an outsider or left out. A 2025 Gallup poll found 45% of parents of school-age children say the pandemic has had a negative impact on their child’s social skills development, and half of those, 22%, report the social difficulty for their child is ongoing. However, relationship and social skills are essential for school and life-long success. APA studies have found that improving students’ relationships with teachers supports learning and has important long-lasting implications for academic, social, and emotional development. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that students who feel a strong sense of school connectedness are more likely to earn higher grades, attend school regularly, engage in positive behaviors, and experience better mental health. Positive teacher-student relationships and supportive peer connections are also linked to reduced behavior problems, greater classroom engagement, stronger motivation, and increased prosocial behavior. This conference will bring together leading experts in neuroscience, psychology, and education to explore how postive relationships, belonging, friendships, collaboration, and social skills shape students' cognitive and emotional development, learning, behavior, and life-long success. Join us to discover evidence-based strategies that help students build meaningful connections, strengthen social skills and a sense of belonging, create inclusive classrooms, and foster thriving school communities where every child can succeed.
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