Blog Archives

Local 434 Members Complete Trauma-Informed Training

3/21/2025

The second cohort of Local 434’s trauma-informed teaching group completed their three day training this week. The Union Response to Student Stress and Trauma focuses on how to better equip educators with tools, knowledge, and strategies to create a supportive and safe environment for students who may have experienced trauma. The curriculum emphasizes understanding trauma and the impact it has on students’ behavior, emotional regulation, and learning, as well as how to build a safe and supportive environment that fosters resilience. There is also a focus on emotional regulation and self-care for educators.

Notes from members who attended the training:

Caleb Romoser, West Fine Arts/World Language: The Trauma-Informed training was a powerful and educational experience for me. The information that was presented is critical for all educators who truly wish to engage their students with that difficult mix of high expectations and deep care.

Karl Ware, West Para/Coach: Stress/Trauma training is definitely needed. Students' moods change rapidly from day to day. Our District 201 trauma/stress training enhanced our ability to understand people and transcend students' trauma. Group setting helps to show different ways to reach and teach students . In hostile situations our training taught us options and methods to detox stress and work with students in trauma/stressful situations. We work together and research multiple ways to successfully combat stress and trauma. We learned meditating techniques to actively listen for the mind and heart of the person.

Jacob Toenjes, West Social Studies: By recognizing strengths and promoting positive coping strategies, trauma-informed educators can help students build resilience, improving their long-term academic and personal success. Ultimately our goal is to help students be ready for the real world. Helping them build that resilience is another way we can help them achieve success long term.

Jennifer Lewis, West English: This training was invaluable to my teaching. It's easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day tasks of the job and forget that our students are kids who are already struggling to regulate their emotions, and when trauma is part of their daily lives, they struggle even more. Learning techniques to help my students process and focus was very helpful.

Ashley Mims, West English: I signed up for this training hoping to get some new ideas about how to hold space for my students with trauma, see them as the whole person, all while still holding them to high expectations and maintaining boundaries. This training and the time I had to process with my colleagues provided me with that and so much more.

Shout out to Tiffany Stellhorn, Nickie Pelch, and Lannette Story who have put in the work to become trainers and led this cohort. (Another shout out to Thomas Gallaher, Christina Roedl, and Kara Schnoeker who led last semester’s cohort!) Thank you to District 201 for partnering with us and providing substitutes for our classrooms as well as lunch!