TRAUMA SENSITIVE SCHOOL Creating a holistic approach to student learning

SURVEY What are your reactions to the information you have received? What ideas do you have about weaving trauma-sensitive approaches into the fabric of our schools? What challenges or barriers must we overcome in order to create a trauma-sensitive environment in our schools?

A Vision for a Trauma-Sensitive School

Attributes of a Trauma-Sensitive school Leadership and staff share an understanding of trauma’s impacts on learning and the need for a school-wide approach The school supports all students to feel safe physically, socially, emotionally, and academically The school addresses students’ needs in holistic ways, taking into account their relationships, self-regulation, academic competence, and physical and emotional well-being The school explicitly connects students to the school community and provides multiple opportunities to practice newly developing skills The school embraces teamwork and staff share responsibility for all students Leadership and staff anticipate and adapt to the ever-changing needs of students

“No single attribute of a trauma- sensitive school can be viewed as an isolated fragment; they are all interrelated, adding up to a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Together they define ways to empower schools to understand and realize a shared vision.” Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative

Trauma-Sensitive Vision Questions How will addressing a given priority or taking a specific action: deepen our shared understanding of trauma’s impacts on learning the need for a school-wide approach? help the school effectively support all students to feel safe – physically, socially, emotionally, and academically? address students’ needs in holistic ways, taking into account their relationships, self-regulation, academic competence, and physical and emotional well-being?

Trauma-Sensitive Vision Questions How will addressing a given priority or taking a specific action: explicitly connect students to the school community and provide them with multiple opportunities to practice newly developing skills throughout the school? support staff’s capacity to work together as a team with a sense of shared responsibility for every student? help the school anticipate and adapt to the ever- changing needs of students and the surrounding community?

Why do we feel an urgency to become a Trauma-Sensitive School? Goal to form a small but growing coalition that includes school leaders and is able to articulate clearly why addressing the impacts of trauma on learning will help to achieve the staff’s major priorities.

How do we know we are ready to create a Trauma-Sensitive Action Plan? If the staff is motivated and has clarified which priorities it would like to address, then the school is ready to go forward and develop a school-wide Action Plan.

What actions will address staff priorities and help us become a Trauma-Sensitive School? When the Action Plan is complete, it is presented to the whole staff for feedback. Then the school is ready to dive in and begin taking action.

How do we know whether we are becoming a trauma-sensitive school? Observing and documenting the culture change is the focus of this section.

Drawing Parallels to Current Structures Gallup survey – focus on hope, engagement and well-being Professional Learning Communities PLC – every professional in the building engaged in on-going exploration to ensure all students are learning Trauma-sensitive schools – focus on feeling safe physically, socially, emotionally, and academically Grow a coalition through shared learning with small groups of like- minded colleagues about the prevalence of traumatic experiences, their impacts on learning

What can we do to support students that may have been “Trauma-Exposed”? Tenets of Trauma Informed Care Marzano element connections Recognize the impact of violence and victimization on development and coping strategies. DQ 5 Element 24 Noticing when students are not engaged Employ an empowerment mode DQ 5 Element 29 Demonstrating intensity and Enthusiasm Are based on relational collaboration DQ 5 Elements 31 Providing opportunities for students to talk about themselves Create an atmosphere that is respectful of survivors’ need for safety, respect and acceptance DQ 8 Element 37 Using verbal and nonverbal behaviors that indicate affection for students Emphasize individual’s strengths, highlighting adaptations over symptoms, resilience over pathology DQ 8 Element 38 Displaying objectivity and control Strive to be culturally competent and to understand each person in the context of their life experiences and cultural background DQ 9 Element 39 Demonstrating value and respect for low expectancy students