Trauma

A memorial is seen at Apalachee High School after the school shooting, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Winder, Ga.
A memorial at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., honors victims of the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting in which two 14-year-old students and two teachers were killed.
Mike Stewart/AP
School Climate & Safety A Resource Guide to Help Schools Move Forward After a Shooting
Administrators have a responsibility no one wants in the wake of school violence. Here are some resources to help.
Caitlynn Peetz, September 12, 2024
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4 min read
In this March 8, 2017 photo, Logan Cole walks down a hallway decorated with signs supporting him and his school at West Liberty-Salem High School, in West Liberty, Ohio. Logan, who was shot twice by a fellow student at the high school on Jan. 20, was adjusting to his first full week back at school after spending 15 days in Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus fighting for his life and then eventually returning to school part-time.
In this March 8, 2017 photo, Logan Cole walks down a hallway decorated with signs supporting him and his school at West Liberty-Salem High School, in West Liberty, Ohio. Logan, who was shot twice by a fellow student at the high school on Jan. 20, was adjusting to his first full week back at school after spending 15 days in Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus fighting for his life and then eventually returning to school part-time.
Jonathan Quilter/The Columbus Dispatch via AP
School Climate & Safety In Their Own Words How a Principal Who Stopped a School Shooting Learned to Be Vulnerable
Principal Greg Johnson talks about how his life changed after a school shooting.
Olina Banerji, August 8, 2024
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6 min read
A makeshift memorial with crosses for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting massacre stands outside a home on the first anniversary of the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., Dec. 14, 2013.
A makeshift memorial with crosses for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting massacre stands outside a home on the first anniversary of the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14, 2013. A teacher who survived the shooting discussed how she encouraged her students to write after the tragedy.
Robert F. Bukaty/AP
School Climate & Safety How Teachers Who Survived Columbine and Sandy Hook Helped Their Students Recover
Teachers who survived the Sandy Hook and Columbine shootings had to find a way to help their students process trauma.
Libby Stanford, August 2, 2024
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5 min read
City of Hialeah Police Commander Orlando Salvat, right, and Sgt. Rolando Rios, left, rush to a simulated active shooting as instructor Vincent Torres, center, follows during a training session, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, in Hialeah, Fla.
City of Hialeah Police Commander Orlando Salvat, right, and Sgt. Rolando Rios, left, rush to a simulated active shooting as instructor Vincent Torres, center, follows during a training session, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, in Hialeah, Fla.
Wilfredo Lee/AP
School Climate & Safety Video Active Shooter Drills That Prepare But Don't Traumatize: Advice From Principals
Striking a balance is essential, principals say.
Olina Banerji & Sam Mallon, July 31, 2024
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4 min read
Notes from students expressing support and sharing coping strategies paper a wall, as members of the Miami Arts Studio mental health club raise awareness on World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, 2023, at Miami Arts Studio, a public 6th-12th grade magnet school, in Miami.
Notes from students express support and share coping strategies at Miami Arts Studio, a public magnet school for grades 6-12, on Oct. 10, 2023. Studies find teachers need training to navigate their own stress while managing classes with high-need students.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Student Well-Being What the Research Says How Teacher Stress Management Is Crucial for Handling Student Mental Health
A Chicago program helps teachers learn how to manage their own stress in classes with more easily triggered students.
Sarah D. Sparks, June 14, 2024
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4 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
English Learners Opinion When Teaching English Learners, Embrace These 3 Critical Mindsets
English learners will have more success if teachers adjust their thinking. Here's how.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 17, 2024
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4 min read
School staff cheer as students returned to in-person classes at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, following a shooting on Oct. 24, 2022, that killed a student and a teacher. Kacy Shahid, then the school's principal, faced the challenge of guiding the school community through recovery as she struggled herself to process the events.
School staff cheer as students returned to in-person classes at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, following a shooting on Oct. 24, 2022, that killed a student and a teacher. Kacy Shahid, then the school's principal, faced the challenge of guiding the school community through recovery as she struggled herself to process the events.
Jim Salter/AP
School Climate & Safety What Helped These K-12 Leaders After School Shootings
School shootings leave deep and lasting impact on the community, including those charged with leading students and staff in the aftermath.
Caitlynn Peetz, May 16, 2024
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5 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion How to Support Students Afflicted by Trauma
A major goal of trauma-informed practice is to limit the negative impact on student learning and well-being.
Larry Ferlazzo, November 9, 2023
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7 min read
Rear view of a father standing with his unsure, young son who is wearing a blue backpack and clinging to his dad's side while holding his hand. Blurred school building in background.
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety How Schools Can Respond When Kids Are Too Scared to Come
A school psychologist has advice on how to respond to children traumatized by violence in their community.
Elizabeth Heubeck, October 31, 2023
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3 min read
People linger after a vigil for the victims of Wednesday's mass shootings, on Oct. 29, 2023, outside the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston, Maine.
People linger after a vigil for the victims of the Oct. 25 mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine. The vigil took place on Oct. 29, 2023, outside the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston.
Matt Rourke/AP
School Climate & Safety 'We Really Didn’t Know What to Do': How a District Regrouped After a Mass Shooting
The superintendent of a community rocked by a 2022 mass shooting discusses what the district did after the violence.
Caitlynn Peetz, October 30, 2023
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9 min read
In an undergraduate public policy course at the University of North Carolina, Simona Goldin asked students, "What do you need now?" just four days after an active shooter killed a faculty member on campus earlier this year. These are their answers.
In an undergraduate public policy course at the University of North Carolina, Simona Goldin asked students, "What do you need now?" just four days after an active shooter killed a faculty member on campus earlier this year. These are their answers.
Courtesy of Simona Goldin
Student Well-Being Opinion ‘What Is a Teacher to Do?’: Returning to the Classroom After a Tragedy
Earlier this year, an active shooter shook my campus. Here are my 3 lessons on preparing for the first day back in front of class.
Simona Goldin, October 26, 2023
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4 min read
Jess Paquette expresses her support for her city in the wake of Wednesday's mass shootings at a restaurant and bowling alley, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. Police continue their manhunt for the suspect. Authorities urged residents to lock themselves in their homes and schools announced closures on Thursday. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Jess Paquette expresses her support for her city in the wake of Wednesday's mass shootings at a restaurant and bowling alley, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. Police continue their manhunt for the suspect. Authorities urged residents to lock themselves in their homes and schools announced closures.
Robert F. Bukaty/AP
School Climate & Safety Educators Grapple with Grief, Horror in Aftermath of Maine Mass Shooting
Maine educators worried about their safety and their students after a gunman killed 18 people.
Libby Stanford, October 26, 2023
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5 min read
Student Well-Being Spotlight Spotlight on Trauma-Informed Instruction
This Spotlight will help you implement trauma-informed strategies, examine 5 tips to support students’ mental health, and more.

October 2, 2023
Illustration of a woman of color in distress with hands in her face and hair blowing upwards.
Fedrelena/iStock/Getty
Equity & Diversity How Can Schools Help Students Process Racial Trauma? A New Program Provides Answers
The pilot program sheds light on the role schools play in helping students heal from racial trauma.
Ileana Najarro, March 24, 2023
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6 min read
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