For the new school year, Davidson River Principal Barbara Grimm is promoting a program she believes will increase graduation rates and test scores and, ultimately, heal trauma.
Grimm presented details about the program, “Trauma-Skilled School Model,” during the Transylvania County Board of Education’s meeting Monday night.
The program, according to Grimm, teaches school faculty and staff to use the same language and approach when it comes to getting their students on the path toward academic success.
“We know that one out of every four children attending school has been exposed to a traumatic event that can affect learning and/or behavior,” said Grimm. “We believe strongly that 100 percent of Davidson River kids have faced some manner of trauma.”
Grimm said introducing the model at DRS came from working with the National Drop Out Prevention Center, and it hinges on the idea that working to improve test grades and dropout rates cannot be done without first working with students to heal trauma (which has a large impact on learning) and build resilience to it.
Adopting the program will involve a two-year process of training school personnel and reorganizing curricula to address students’ needs. Grimm said that funding to adopt this model has already been secured through grants.