Trauma-Informed Practices
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As a district, DPS is committed to supporting the whole child, incorporating a student’s social-emotional skills in addition to their academic success. We are also deeply aware that trauma can contribute to systemic and individualized educational barriers that interfere with emotional and physical health and impede access to education.
Adopting trauma-informed practices helps us to recognize the impact of trauma, implement changes and bring our entire school community together to help students build healthy relationships and feel safe to learn and grow.
When students feel safe and ready to learn, they are able to pursue their academic goals more easily. We want to ensure all of our educators understand how to use trauma-informed practices and strategies to help students be in a safe space to support positive behavior and learning.
This work is supported by the DPS Board of Education, who catalyzed this work through a resolution.
Resources to Support
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Access to Trauma-Informed Practices Training
We offer several training options for DPS staff training in Trauma-Informed Practices, including:
- Online Trauma 101 Training for DPS Staff: Access the online version of our Trauma 101 training in Schoology at the following link: https://docs.google.com/
document/d/1F1oY- kgzun4Ed2w13xYsAXU10RmkUaoaaVc wM_oPTUM/edit.
- In-Person Training Series for School-Based and Central-Office Staff: The Trauma-Informed Practices team offers a free training series consisting of three modules, which are 90 minutes each. The modules cover Trauma 101, practices and strategies to promote and sustain trauma-informed environments, and self-care/staff resiliency The training is available for all staff. To discuss training options and schedule a training, contact tip_training@dpsk12.org. Training includes access to follow-up coaching and consultation.
- Train-the-Trainer: The Trauma-Informed Practices team is now offering a train-the-trainer option for school champions who would like to learn to facilitate our training modules. If this option is of interest, our team would provide all the material needed to present the information to staff. This includes in-person training with a TIP team member (90 minutes) and access to all the electronic resources (slides, handouts, pre-/post-assessments) as well as debrief/follow-up supports as needed. Contact tip_training@dpsk12.org to schedule.
- Online Trauma 101 Training for DPS Staff: Access the online version of our Trauma 101 training in Schoology at the following link: https://docs.google.com/
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Wellness & Self-care Support
What You Need to Know about Trauma and Secondary Stress
- Secondary Traumatic Stress
- Self-care for Educators
- Six Ways for Educators to Avoid Compassion Fatigue
Denver Public School Supports
- DPS's Employee Assistance Program
- Colorado Department of Human Services: Find Behavioral Health Help
- The Common's Wellness Resources
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Promoting Student Resilience
Tipping the Scales:
The Resilience Game
In this interactive feature, you will learn how the choices we make can help children and the community as a whole become more resilient in the face of serious challenges. Negative events can occur at any moment, and it’s your job to choose positive events to counteract these negatives.
Presented by Harvard University's Center for the Developing Child
Support
Description of Denver Public School's initiatives and resources that promote resilience.
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What is Trauma?
For Educators
Information leaders, teachers and essential staff can use to deepen their knowledge of stress and trauma.
For Community Members
Resources for community member to engage with victims of trauma and supports and services in the community.
Tools to identify levels of trauma
Unless otherwise noted, community resources compiled here have not been endorsed as trauma-informed by DPS.
Primary trauma
Learn more about ACEs from the CDC's ACE Study website
Mental Health Colorado: Mental Health Screenings
Secondary trauma
Need support?
DPS's Employee Assistance Program
Colorado Department of Human Services: Find Behavioral Health Help
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Whole Child Supports
1860 Lincoln Street, 7th and 8th Floor
780 Grant Street and Acoma Street locationsJay Grimm
Director, Student Equity & Opportunity
Jay_Grimm@dpsk12.orgMarccus Spearman
Manager, Trauma-Informed and Restorative Practices
Marccus_Spearman@dpsk12.orgMonica Padilla
Trauma Informed Specialist
monica_padilla@dpsk12.orgDina Zainy
Trauma Informed Specialist
dina_zainy@dpsk12.orgRequest In-person Training
tip_training@dpsk12.org
