Advocating for Compassionate Schools

Schools can often be places where stress can create challenges for both students and adults. That challenge can be even more significant when someone is facing a mental health challenge or has been impacted by trauma. For those of us in the position of advocating on behalf of a student, it feels like we sometimes face roadblocks or resistance. Join this interactive session to learn tips and tools for successfully engaging a school in trauma informed practice that promotes compassion, empathy, responsibility and repaired relationships.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understand the primary characteristics of a compassionate school and how to advocate effectively with a clear vision of desired outcomes.
  • Learn how to use language that promotes both empathy and responsibility and tips with coaching using this language.
  • Use a debriefing interview guide that encourages both student and adult self-reflection on problem solving and steps to repairing relationships.

Speaker

Sara Daniel

Sara Daniel, LCSW, is the Executive Director of Daniel Educational Services. For 25 years, Sara has been facilitating transformational change through coaching and professional development. She specializes in successful outcomes for all, including those impacted by trauma and mental health challenges.  She has worked with countless organizations in many sectors nationwide, including K-12 and Early Childhood Education, Child Welfare, Human Services and Community Based Organizations. She has trained thousands of individuals on implementing Trauma Informed Care and Well-being practices within organizations.

Sara is a former VP of Education for a nonprofit organization and a school administrator for a Milwaukee public charter school. She is a consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction where she authored the Trauma Sensitive Schools Learning Series and helped to lead the statewide roll-out of the TSS Initiative.

Sara is a certified clinician/trainer in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) and Education (NME). She was the leader of the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Interface Project for the state of Wisconsin (2014-2019), in partnership with Laura Porter and Dr. Robert Anda.