10 Core Pillars

Developing programs to serve your students

Our model of a trauma-informed school is based on 10 pillars of content and recommendations. These 10 areas of focus are intentionally broad in order to allow schools to customize them to best fit their specific settings.

A teacher looks at a book with his student
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Ensure Safe Communities

Safe and nurturing environments support learning and resilience.

A student holds her head in her hands
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Increase Awareness of Trauma

Knowing the signs and symptoms of trauma leads to understanding and compassion.
A student points something out to her classmate
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Increase Awareness of Biases

Implicit bias and stereotypes undermine efforts to strengthen relationships and community.

Four students run out of the school building happily
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Build Community

Strong communities rest on foundations of safety, trust, compassion, and respect for differences.

A teacher looks on as her two students interact with a tablet.
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Develop Positive Relationships

Positive relationships are foundational to health and healing.

A student sits on a staircase with her head on her knees
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Reduce Punitive Discipline

Punitive discipline undermine students’ self-confidence and motivation to learn.

A teacher explains something on a computer monitor to her student.
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Communicate & Reinforce Expectations

High and achievable goals motivate performance and build self-efficacy.

A teacher hands a book to his student.
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Avoid Deficit Thinking

Deficit messages lead to poor self-confidence and lower motivation to learn.
Students sit around a study room table laughing
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Incorporate Social-Emotional Skills

Learning social emotional skills strengthen relationships and promotes resilience.

A man comforts a child in front of their house.
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Create Support Systems

Tiered supports and interventions are sometimes needed.