July 21, 2020 | Volume 1, Number 4
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Back to School After COVID-19:
Open-up with Optimism and Connection
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By Dana Asby, CEI Director of Innovation & Research Support and Ingrid Padgett, CEI Director of Communication & Development
School districts are making decisions right now about how and when to “open up” for the next academic year. Teachers, students, and families are concerned about safety, learning, and so many of the multitudes of details that must be addressed, whether instruction is in physical or virtual classrooms. We all know that when we return, no one and nothing will be the same.
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By Kaela Farrise, CEI Program Assistant, Innovation & Research Support
As schools reopen, it is essential to specifically consider and address feelings of grief and loss among students and staff. Some students and teachers will be grieving for a family member, friend, or other loved one who died. Others will be grappling with the loss of missed experiences, the loss of sense of community and connection to school due to physical isolation, or even the loss or change in relationships with friends, teachers, or support staff during the course of this pandemic.
As difficult and painful as it may be, schools must find a way to recognize those who died of COVID-19, as well as those who will not be returning to the school community for other reasons such as graduating, moving away, or transitioning to homeschool.
Many school members were also likely impacted by the news of deaths of Black people like Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Tony McDade, as well as the ensuing protests and the movement that rose up in response. When putting together a plan for reopening, schools must work to address and support all members of their communities.
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By Kate Nugent, Vice President of Learning, Life is Good Playmakers and Dana Asby, CEI Director of Innovation & Research Support
As staff and students return to school this fall, behind computers or at their school desks, educators have an opportunity to vision together with their school community for a brighter future, full of hope, joy, and connection.
Educational leaders and neuroscience researchers are urging schools to spend time at the beginning of the school year building healthy relationships between staff and students and cultivating important connections and reconnections among students as well—before jumping back into academics.
As we remain in the midst of a global pandemic, students’ brains won’t be primed to learn until they are able to experience a sense of safety and belonging in their school community.
Life is Good Playmakers
has an
online training
program
to help educators and other adults caring for children who have experienced trauma create this “O’Playsis” where kids can engage, connect, and explore with the aid of a caring adult
.
Read more
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By Dana A
sby, CEI
Director of Innovation & Research Support
When Joelle Brookner became a Childhood-Trauma Learning Collaborative (C-TLC) Fellow, she was the principal of Williamstown Elementary School, a Pre-K-6 school of over 400 students in the northwesternmost part of Massachusetts. Her leadership in that school for many years earned her the respect and recognition of colleagues, parents, and the community. She has recently transitioned into a role as the director of curriculum and instruction for her district, Mount Greylock Public Schools, where she plans to continue bringing trauma-skilled education to students in the Berkshires.
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Learn more about the amazing work our Fellows have been doing through the Childhood-Trauma Learning Collaborative and in their school communities in our
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Events and Resources
Access and share C-TLC resources:
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CEI is excited to announce two recent publications:
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Update: C-TLC Heart Centered Learning® School Stipends
Amid the national crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, our charge is to provide New England educators with resources and solutions that support the holistic wellness of schools, children, and communities in the region.
We met that charge and are pleased to announce the winners of
Round Two of the C-TLC's Heart Centered Learning School Stipends:
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- Carrie Ricker Schools, Litchfield, ME
- Cranberry Isle ES, Bar Harbor, ME
- Cumberland HS, Cumberland, RI
- Harris ES, Woonsocket, RI
- Juniper Hill School, Alna, ME
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- Lauro ES, Providence, RI
- Libby Tozier Schools, Litchfield, ME
- Mountain Valley HS, Rumford, ME
- Oak Hill MS, Sabattus, ME
- Orwell Village School, Orwell, VT
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Our school stipends are offered through a competitive process to supplement a school service learning project, provide resources for children, or support professional development of educators. For more information on this program, contact the C-TLC's Education Coordinator Dana Asby at
[email protected]
. Please also stay posted to our
website
for announcements on our Round Three application process.
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"Connection—the ability to feel connected—is neurobiologically wired. That's why we're here!"
~Brené Brown
As you vision for the future of your school community this fall, do so with hope and optimism. Dream about an equitable future for education, and as you step back through the doors of your school building or reboot your computer on the first day of school, take time to take care of yourself and your students, so that brains are primed to return to learning. Leave space for reconnection, grief, celebration, play, and love.
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The C-TLC is funded by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and is part of the New England Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (New England MHTTC) Network.
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STAY CONNECTED
New England MHTTC
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