Content and Engagement
This session will present research-based elements of trauma-informed schools within an MTSS framework, with a focus on staff capacity-building, goal-setting, and Tier-2 behavioral health supports using IM4 software. Audience members will actively explore strategies for creating trauma-informed action plans and learn how technology can enhance data-driven decision-making. To keep participants engaged, the session will blend short content presentations with hands-on, peer-to-peer collaboration.
Time Allocation
Introduction & Framing (10 minutes): Overview of trauma-informed MTSS and evidence-based practices.
School-Based Reflection & Goal Setting (15 minutes): Participants use their own school experience to explore elements of trauma-informed schools, identify areas of strength, and set goals aligned to one of six guiding principles.
Collaborative Action Planning (25 minutes): Small groups use a guided template to draft an MTSS Behavioral Health Action Plan.
IM4 Technology Integration (10 minutes): Demonstration of how the software supports Tier-2 interventions, with live examples.
Reflection & Next Steps (5 minutes): Participants share commitments and takeaways.
Process
Engagement will be built through frequent interaction and practical application. Attendees will:
Collaborate in peer-to-peer groups to assess trauma-informed practices.
Use a fillable digital or paper template to create an actionable plan.
Participate in discussion prompts and live polls to surface insights and experiences.
Contribute to a shared artifact that they can refine with colleagues after the session.
The session will balance research, demonstration, and hands-on problem-solving, ensuring that participants leave not only with new knowledge but also with a tangible plan tailored to their school context.
Attendees will leave with a draft MTSS Behavioral Health Action Plan tailored to their school context. This artifact will include:
A self-assessment rubric to identify strengths and gaps in trauma-informed practices across tiers.
Schoolwide goals for improving student behavioral health and reducing office referrals.
A Tier-2 implementation map showing how IM4 software can be integrated to match students with evidence-based interventions and monitor progress.
Concrete next steps for building staff capacity and sustaining trauma-informed practices.
By the end of the session, participants will have a usable framework that they can refine with their leadership teams and begin implementing immediately.
McNerney, M. (2024). Cultivating a Classroom of Calm: How to Promote Student Engagement and Self-Regulation. ASCD.
– Practical guide authored by session presenter, focusing on trauma-informed strategies that directly align with this session’s content.
University of Minnesota – IM4 Project.
IM4: Match, Map, Monitor, Meet
– Evidence-based Tier-2 intervention software developed at the University of Minnesota to support student behavioral health and decision-making within MTSS.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach
– Widely recognized framework defining trauma-informed principles and practices.
Brunzell, T., Waters, L., & Stokes, H. (2015). Teaching with strengths in trauma-affected students: A new approach to healing and growth in the classroom. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 85(1), 3–9.
– Research supporting trauma-informed instructional practices to improve student engagement and regulation.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).
Creating, Supporting, and Sustaining Trauma-Informed Schools
– Practical strategies for schools implementing trauma-informed frameworks.
O’Connell, M. E., Boat, T., & Warner, K. E. (Eds.). (2009). Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities. National Academies Press.
– National report connecting behavioral health interventions to academic and life outcomes.
Blodgett, C., & Lanigan, J. D. (2018). The prevalence and academic correlates of adverse childhood experiences in a sample of elementary school children. School Psychology Quarterly, 33(1), 137–146.
– Evidence linking ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) to school engagement and the importance of trauma-informed supports.
Learning Policy Institute.
Encouraging Social and Emotional Learning in Schools
– Policy-focused report connecting SEL, trauma-informed practices, and student well-being.
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