McDowell Institute Fostering Wellness through Education

You are invited to complete an anonymous survey of Pennsylvania educators regarding preparedness to recognize and respond to students impacted by trauma or distress, including trauma/distress related to COVID-19. This project is being conducted by researchers at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Your participation in this voluntarily survey will take less than 10 minute...s to complete and will help PDE prepare educators for the challenges that students face as a result of trauma or distress. Your responses will be completely anonymous, meaning the researchers will not know your identity. If you would like to anonymously participate, please click the hyperlink below. https://iup.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3pzaUYCudZGwbUa Or copy/paste the link into your preferred web-browser. THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS (Log Number 2021-E032)

Mark your calendars for May 27th from 8am 2:30 PM for the GROW Summit. The Grow Summit will cover a wide variety of topics related to trauma, mental, and emo...tional health and their respective relationship to human wellbeing in physical health, economic success, and other life prosperities. The Summit will feature guest speakers, break-out sessions with profession-driven tracks, and a keynote address from John Shipp, former foster child, documentarian and award-winning author. The Summit will also bring together multi-sector partners to begin building plans to move toward a more resilient community. Register now at gsvuw.org/summit The GROW Summit is being held virtually on zoom and is free to register. The GROW initiative is sponsored by Geisinger and CSIU / Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit / IU 16.

Share widely... Great information https://youtu.be/Mb6lDTD-CtE

Words of guidance the day after the events of January 6, 2021, by Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims, Special Advisor on Equity to the Pennsylvania Department of Education... (PDE), Good morning equity champions. Yesterday, we witnessed an unparalleled event at the U.S. Capitol building. Many of us may have a variety of emotions at this time, from anger to sadness, to numbness, to fear. Our students are also experiencing a flurry of perspectives and emotional states. As we continue the work of equitable practices, I felt it important to send along immediate resources to support efforts across the commonwealth for today and the weeks/months to come. Classroom dialogue (virtual, in-person, or hybrid) will be needed, and as I like to say creates a proble-tunity [out of a problem, comes to an opportunity] for significant teachable moments. These same recommendations apply to ourselves as colleagues and fellow educators. I am encouraging you to give space today for checking in with your colleagues and also checking in with yourself (see Self-Awareness pillar of practice). Responding to the Insurrection at the US Capitol | Facing History and Ourselves o Immediate recommendations based on January 6th, 2021. When Bad Things Are Happening (Teaching Tolerance) When news breaks of disaster or violence, your students may want to discuss a crisis as it unfolds. o Step 1: Listen o Step 2: Protect o Step 3: Model o Step 4: Take care of yourself Continue to champion!