Transforming Schools: Trauma-Engaged Toolkit

The vision of this toolkit is to help Alaska schools and communities integrate trauma-engaged practices and policies into their everyday activities in order to improve academic outcomes and well-being for all students. Improving student outcomes requires us to support the whole child, and to understand how trauma impacts a child’s ability to learn and thrive.

Creating trauma-engaged, safe, and supportive schoolsrequires holistic change and a mindset shift for students,administrators, school staff and community members. Self Care This section supports the Transforming Schools frameworkand includes how to build capacity within school districts topromote, provide and support self-care that isintentional, effective, and cohesive for staff. Family Partnerships This section of the toolkit provides tools and resourcesto partner with parents for social, emotional,behavioral, and academic outcomes. Cultural Integration & Community Co-creation This section provides strategies for partnering with thecommunity and utilizing appropriate cultural adaptationsin planning and implementing Trauma Engaged Schoolswork at your school. Support Services This section provides tools and strategies for schoolsupport service providers to help shift practicesto being Trauma Engaged. Skill Instruction This section provides resources and strategies forTrauma Engaged skills instruction of Socialand Emotional Learning skills. School Wide Practices & Climate This section provides tools, strategies and resourcesfor a positive school climate and forTrauma Engaged school wide practices. Professional Learning The purpose of this section is to support the building ofcapacity within schools and school districts to provide andsupport intentional, effective, and cohesive professionaldevelopment on Trauma-Engaged School Practices. Planning & Coordination of School-wide Efforts This section provides tools to reflect on each site’s currenttrauma engaged work and tools to identify key priorities andcreate a plan for your Trauma Engaged Schools work. Policy Considerations This section of the toolkit is designed to help schoolleadership and staff to consider what district or schoolpolicies may be important to review and adapt whenworking towards a trauma engaged school. Relationships This section includes strategies for building capacity inschool districts to intentionally foster supportive relationshipsbetween all members of the school community. Deconstructing Trauma This section provides tools for increasing school staffunderstating of trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences, andtheir links to learning and child brain development.

Trauma Engaged Schools Knowing to Doing Video Library

The Trauma Engaged Video Library offers over 50 peer-led and statewide experts short videos tied to the topics in the Framework. They are under 10 minutes and easily accessible for personal review or in a group setting to stimulate discussion.

Chapters

1. Deconstructing Trauma

Provides tools for increasing school staff understating of trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and their links to learning and child brain development.

2. Relationship Building

Includes strategies for building capacity in school districts to intentionally foster supportive relationships between all members of the school community.

3. Policy Considerations

Helps school leadership and staff to consider what district or school policies may be important to review and adapt when working towards a trauma engaged school.

4. Planning & Coordination of Schoolwide Efforts

Provides tools to reflect on each site’s current trauma engaged work and tools to identify key priorities and create a plan for your Trauma Engaged Schools work.

5. Professional Learning

Support the building of capacity within schools and school districts to provide and support intentional, effective, and cohesive professional development on Trauma-Engaged School Practices.

6. School-Wide Practices and Climate

Provides tools, strategies and resources for a positive school climate and for Trauma Engaged school wide practices.

7. Skill Instruction

Provides resources and strategies for Trauma Engaged skills instruction of Social and Emotional Learning skills.

8. Support Services

Provides tools and strategies for school support service providers to help shift practices to being Trauma Engaged.

9. Cultural Integration &
Community Co-creation

Provides strategies for partnering with the community and utilizing appropriate cultural adaptations in planning and implementing Trauma Engaged Schools work at your school.

10. Family Partnership

Provides tools and resources to partner with parents for social, emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes.

11. Self Care

Supports the Transforming Schools framework and includes how to build capacity within school districts to promote, provide and support self-care that is intentional, effective, and cohesive for staff.