Trauma-Skilled Schools Model

West Branch Area School District, along with many other CIU10 schools, is partnering with the National Dropout Center for training and support to build schools that are proactive and supportive towards the trauma that our students and adults have faced--and continue to face--in the aftermath of the COVID global pandemic.

"Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress--such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors. It means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences."

--https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience

Here at West Branch, our team is working to foster the five factors that significantly contribute to resilience:

Connection
Belonging
Autonomy
Fulfillment
Achievement

Reading Signs

In an effort to create a culture of readers that belong to a larger district community of readers, teachers, administrators, and staff posted what they were reading. Signs were periodically updated which created an opportunity for discussion between adults or between adults and students. This idea originated with Bellefonte Instructional Coaches and carried into our work with trauma.

Reading Signs Across WBASD!

WB Warriors READ BOOKS Challenge.mp4

Book Clubs--Just for FUN!

Along with the reading signs, came adult book clubs. Titles were voted on each month, and discussions were held to discuss the books periodically.

There was a high school book club, created by high school teachers, in which many students participated.

Faculty Meeting Professional Development

According to a study by the University of Sussex, reading just six minutes per day can reduce life’s pressures by 68 percent.

https://www.powerofpositivity.com/reading-6-helps-reduce-increase-happiness/

During several faculty meetings, we discussed the health benefits of reading and created a reading autobiography of the top 10 most influential books of our lives.

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