Partnering with us, educators transform schools into equitable learning communities where all children know they matter and belong and can learn and thrive. We partner with educators to build learning communities that:
- Integrate and sustain SEL (social-emotional learning) practices that apply brain science, trauma-informed, restorative, and Positive Discipline practices;
- Model classroom practices that are solution oriented and instill critical social emotional life skills;
- Foster inclusive school-wide cultures that promote student agency and well-being;
- Build data driven practices to identify and implement solutions that address harmful systemic patterns of inequity.
Every school is different. We co-design with you an approach that meets you where you are as move toward sustainability with these practices. Read more about our levels of engagement below, or contact us to have discussion about what type of partnership is best for your community. We’d love to talk with you!
Training and Professional Development Level
For schools interested in beginning to apply trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices, we offer professional development and coaching to begin to explore this work at the classroom level. From the outset, educators begin to apply new tools and practices that lead to immediate and noticeable changes for themselves and their students.
Data Team School Level
It is helpful to build a system of reflective data use. Staff at Data Team schools participate in an introduction to trauma-informed practices workshop and then a representative team of educators begins to collect and use school discipline data to initiate small iterative school-wide improvements. This is a three-year commitment.
Data Team School staff participate in:
- Introduction to Trauma-Informed Practices – The Reimagining Resilience: Using a Trauma Lens three-hour workshop introduces school staff to trauma-informed practices and builds a foundation and common language for educators, so they are prepared to implement solutions proposed by the data team.
- Monthly data team meetings. We collaborate with a representative team of staff members from the school to collect and analyze discipline data, identify patterns, define problems, and propose and implement trauma-informed and culturally responsive solutions. We also examine disproportionality in discipline data, as addressing these disparities is crucial for promoting equity and creating an inclusive school environment. The data team identifies small changes that can have a positive impact on school culture. We focus on systems that are not working and on the skills that are lagging in adults and students, and implement solutions.
- Tier 3 support. We facilitate a strengths-based protocol to work with staff to support the students who are struggling the most to connect and feel a sense of belonging at school.
Whole School Level
BELONG Partners provides a comprehensive set of services for schools interested in transforming their communities. In order to participate at this level, 80% of the staff must buy-in to implementing our Whole School approach. It is a 3-year commitment.
Whole School Level partners engage in:
- Professional Development – 22-26 hours of whole staff training on trauma-informed practices and creating equitable learning communities.
- Data Team creation and support.
- Coaching and support for educators and school leaders around implementing the approach and improving systems.
- Specialized training for classified staff.
- MTSS Process for SEL – A strengths-based MTSS approach for social emotional learning.
- Class meeting observations.