Trauma-Informed Schools

Thanks to a $10,000 Challenge Grant, Maize students in Kindergarten through 5th Grade will receive much-needed extra sensory and emotional support while giving them an outlet that helps reduce time spent out of the classroom.

Sensory kits and calming tools along with training that Student Support Specialist, Eric Nachtigal, will provide are part of a grant Mr. Nachtigal received in order to provide much needed support to students who struggle with trauma and need ways to practice self-regulating their emotions in the classroom. These kits will help students remain in the classroom and lessen the need for office visits and time away from classmates.

As Mr Nachtigal explained in his Challenge Grant application, we have many students in our schools who have experienced trauma, have sensory concerns, and struggle with emotional regulation. With this program, students will have access to tools such as calming visuals, noise-cancelling headphones, and sensory hands-on tools for grounding and self regulation.

In addition to the sensory tool kits, Mr. Nachtigal is providing training sessions to teach all staff members how these sensory, calming tools, and strategies can be effectively incorporated into a trauma-informed school approach.

Teachers, counselors, administrators, para-educators, and student support specialists will continue to help these students acquire these emotional regulation skills that will improve and sustain their healthy social, emotional, and mental health for a lifetime.