Lincoln Park, MI: District staff receives TRAUMA TRAINING; why so many kids can't behave

Mar 31, 2019, Southgate (MI) News Herald: Lincoln Park Public Schools help students with Resilient Schools Project http://www.thenewsherald.com/downriver_life/lincoln-park-public-schools-help-students-with-resilient-schools-project/article_fb906172-518b-11e9-9fcd-9313943ec356.html Helping children overcome stress and trauma so they can learn and succeed has become a focus of the Lincoln Park Public Schools, which it’s achieving through its Resilient Schools Project. The school system recognizes that to improve student learning, it must first make sure a child is ready to learn by meeting critical needs, which includes support to overcome emotional issues so they can focus on learning. The Resilient Schools Project not only focuses on the child’s emotional needs, but seeks to prevent school violence by becoming more aware of student social and emotional needs, and addressing situations before they become an issue. Trauma can come in many forms, and children can experience trauma individually or as a group, said Ryan Bridges, communications strategist with East Lansing-based Byrum & Fisk, an advocacy communications firm. “Childhood traumatic events come in many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse, parental separation or divorce, and the incarceration of a parent or household member,” Bridges said. “The death of a teacher or classmate could also be very traumatic events.” LPPS executive director of special education Nicole Chubb said teachers, staff and administrators have been trained to recognize stress and trauma in students, and understand how it will impact learning, behavior and relationships if left untreated. … At the annual Lincoln Park State of the Schools address March 27, Dangerfield said the program is also transforming the way adults perceive students, and that a student’s behavior provides communication into how to address the student’s needs. “We believe that behavior is learned, and that we can teach any student the appropriate behavior with the proper context and supports,” Dangerfield said. “This work is some of the most impactful I have been a part of in my more than 20-year educational career. We are experiencing monumental gains, and I am so proud of our school district, our staff and our students, for their incredible work.” Raupp Elementary was recently recognized by Starr Commonwealth, becoming the first school in the United States to receive Trauma Informed School Accreditation.