Safe and Supportive Trauma-Sensitive School Award

The Safe and Supportive Trauma Sensitive School Award recognizes schools that have created a safe, supportive, equitable, and inclusive school climate/culture of belonging for all students.   It is a school where addressing trauma’s impact on learning, including trauma from racism and other structural inequities, on a whole school basis is central to its educational mission. 

To qualify for the award, a school must:

  1. Establish a shared understanding among staff of traumatic experiences and its impacts;

  2. Engage in an inquiry-based reflection/action planning process to weave trauma-sensitive approaches into their practice; and

  3. Utilize the transformative beliefs of a trauma-sensitive school to guide their action planning and decision-making throughout the school.  

To apply for the award, building-based leaders should complete the following steps:

  1. Notify the Lesley University Institute for Trauma Sensitivity (LIfTS) that you wish to apply for the award here (This would be a button connecting them to the awards page).

  2. Complete the Trauma Sensitive Schools application on the awards page.

  3. Complete the Trauma Sensitive Schools Assessment on the awards page.