1. Supporting Students in Trauma
USBA September 15, 2017
Supporting Students in Trauma

2. Executive Director of Instructional Leadership: Ogden School District
Sarah Roberts
A bit about my background: childhood, mom, equity/access, admin AND THE LOTUS FLOWER

3. The Challenge of “Making One Year’s Growth”
Trauma in Schools
The Challenge of “Making One Year’s Growth”
Two person academic privilege walk: Both starting first grade
One: attended half day kindergarten
Two: attended full day kindergarten
One: starting first grade
Two: starting first grade
One: single parent home
Two: single parent home
One: on DIBELS moderate risk; teacher sets goal for student to make one year’s growth
Two: on DIBELS low risk; teacher sets goal for student to make one year’s growth
One: mom and grandma read at home
Two: no books in the house
One: participates in community learning like church groups, neighborhood clubs, etc.
Two: mom just had to take a second job
One: got chicken pox and had to miss two weeks of school
Two: kicked out of home and had to move out over the weekend; staying in a shelter for two weeks
One: read and watched educational programs while sick
Two: was abused in the shelter by an older boy and doesn’t report it
One: returns to school and wants to do show and tell on new journal
Two: becomes withdrawn, missing a few days of school
Winter break…
One: stays home and bakes cookies and notes for the neighbors, attends holiday events in the community
Two: stays home and babysits her two your old brother while mom works, the landlord finds out and reports mom; mom is forced to leave work and loses her day job
One: DIBELS low risk
Two: DIBELS high risk
One: excited by data binder goes home and mom and grandma celebrate and buy a used tablet …
Two: goes home upset, antagonizes little brother and gets sent to bed without dinner

4. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)
physical abuse
sexual abuse
emotional abuse
physical neglect
emotional neglect
mother treated violently
substance abuse in the home
household mental illness
parental separation and divorces
incarcerated family member
Kaiser Permanente Study of more than 9500 adults in the mid-1990’s,
Felitti, et al. 1998

5. Additional ACE Factors
Finkelhor 2012
Peer rejection
Peer victimization
Community violence exposure
School performance
Socioeconomic status

6. The Impact and Opportunity to Intervene
Early Death
Disease, Disability, & Sexual Problems
Adoption of Health-Risk Behaviors
Social, Emotional, and Cognitive Impairment
Disrupted Neurodevelopment
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Felitti, et al. 1998

7. Creating Resiliency
1. Competence 2. Confidence 3. Connection 4. Character 5. Contribution 6. Coping 7. Control
Competence
Confidence

8. What Can You Do? Know Support It’s not about you. Work with experts.
The student is always worried about what will happen next.
You cannot judge trauma.
Trauma can arise from many sources.
Stress negatively impacts learning.
Work with experts.
Create predictable routines.
Acknowledge and build on strengths.
Allow time-outs.
Be present.
Take care of yourself.
Link to SD principal talking about trauma informed schools.

9. What More Can You Do? Know your community.
Seek out experts and connect them to your schools.
Invest in school-based mental health services.
Invest in Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.
Create trauma informed policies and procedures .

10. Policies to Consider
Become expert in McKinney Vento guidance and ensure a responsive policy for homeless youth and unaccompanied minors.
Do enrollment policies allow smooth and short transitions for students in trauma?
Do Home/Hospital policies have guidance for addressing mental health or just physical health?
Are behavior policies built on a foundation of the Least Restrictive Behavior Intervention and recommended restorative justice practices?
Do you have a system for training front office and classroom staff on what to watch for and how to support students in trauma?

11. It’s your time:
Questions, Comments? ?

12. For More Information: