Across the District, educators are taking time this month to address safety with their students through lessons on topics like fire safety and bullying prevention. A form of safety that sometimes gets overlooked, however, is emotional safety. This is when we are able to have a sense that we are safe from emotional attack or harm by another.

Trauma can affect someone’s ability to balance their emotions. They may be more likely to become withdrawn or distressed in response to a situation that they perceive as threatening or harmful. In that state, their ability to reason and learn becomes disrupted. Our job is to purposefully engage with students in ways that make them feel welcomed, included, and valued. It is only when students feel like they are safe and belong in our classrooms that they can fully engage in the learning process.

*Image from the Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care at the University of Buffalo.*

The Lion's Den Teaching Assistants in our elementary and intermediate buildings will be pushing into classes to teach the Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit to students. This Unit focuses on teaching students to recognize, report, and refuse bullying in school. By teaching students the skills to be a compassionate upstander, they can help prevent bullying from happening. Bully-free schools enhance feelings of safety and inclusion for our students, staff and families.

• Nicole Weaver, Multidisciplinary Mental Health Coordinator, is located at Lockport High School and works with grades K-12. She can be reached at nweaver@lockportschools.net or via phone at (716) 478-4423.
• Heather Scharping, Behavioral Health Coordinator, is located at Aaron Mossell Junior High School and works with grades 7-12. She can be reached at hscharping@lockportschools.net or via phone at 478-4700.
• Laura Feind, Behavioral Health Coordinator, is located at Charles Upson Elementary School and works with grades K-6. She can be reached at lfeind@lockportschools.net or via phone at 478-4412.