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Nashville, TN— The Tennessee Department of Education announced Thursday that 176 schools, 12 which are West Tennessee schools, were selected for the second cohort of trauma-informed schools in Tennessee. This new cohort more than doubles the original 73 schools from the first trauma-informed schools cohort which launched in 2018-19.
In a trauma-informed school, the adults in the school community are prepared to recognize and respond to those who have been impacted by traumatic stress, according to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Those adults include administrators, teachers, staff, and parents. In addition, students are provided with clear expectations and communication strategies to guide them through stressful situations. The goal is to not only provide tools to cope with extreme situations but to create an underlying culture of respect and support.
According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators, the following are situations that can be traumatic:
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Abandonment
- Neglect
- The death or loss of a loved one
- Life-threatening violence in a caregiver
- Witnessing domestic violence
- Automobile accidents or other serious accidents
- Bullying
- Life-threatening health situations and/or painful medical procedures
- Witnessing or experiencing community violence (e.g., shootings, stabbings, robbery, or fighting at home, in the neighborhood, or at school)
- Witnessing police activity or having a close relative incarcerated
- Life-threatening natural disasters
- Acts or threats of terrorism (viewed in person or on television)
- Living in chronically chaotic environments in which housing and financial resources are not consistently available
In Tennessee, the model trauma-informed school designation recognizes schools for their emphasis on implementing trauma-informed strategies to provide critical supports for students. Schools implementing trauma-informed approaches have seen improvements in school climate, attendance, and teacher satisfaction, while seeing a reduction in suspensions and expulsions, stress for staff and students, and more.
The following are the 12 West Tennessee schools and their school district which announced as the second cohort of trauma-informed schools:
- East Chester Elementary School/ Chester County Schools
- Crockett County*/ Crockett County Schools (*three elementary schools in Crockett County are participating together.)
- Crockett County Middle School/ Crockett County Schools
- Westover Elementary School/ Henderson County Schools
- Bargerton School/ Henderson County Schools
- Humboldt Jr. Sr. High School/ Humboldt City Schools
- Jackson Central-Merry Early College High School/ Jackson-Madison County Schools
- Caywood Elementary/ Lexington City Schools
- Lexington Middle School/ Lexington City Schools
- Union City Elementary School/ Union City Schools
To view the full list of the new cohort of trauma-informed schools, click here.
“Like each student, each school community is special and unique, and schools that implement trauma-informed strategies are helping to ensure students receive the academic and nonacademic supports they need,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “The department is thrilled to be able to more than double the number of trauma-informed schools in the state to help provide school officials, teachers and staff with training and resources to help all students reach their full potential.”
“Our school has become a true safe-haven for students in our district. With a trauma- informed mindset, teachers can take advantage of the opportunity to demonstrate true kindness and love to students and families,” said Julie Malone, Director of Alternative Learning, Kingsport City Schools. “The culture of a school that embeds trauma-informed education in all aspects of its daily activities can be exhilarating, and lives will be changed and genuine partnerships will be formed between students and school faculty/staff. Our goal is to help students feel safe, loved, and know they can trust us.”
Through the application process, the schools were selected and committed to a two-year development cycle with the department, including high-quality training, resources, and ongoing support as they implement trauma-informed strategies.
“The trauma-informed school approach has made a huge impact on students and their overall success,” said Adam Clark, Principal of North Coffee Elementary, Coffee County Schools. “It has helped build trust and strengthened relationships between our educators and students by improving our overall school culture.”