Lincoln’s Trauma Sensitive School model supports academic achievement

Lincoln’s Trauma Sensitive School model supports academic achievement
Lincoln High School continues to utilize a “Trauma Sensitive School” model by intentionally cultivating a culture of caring and compassion, according to a report during Tuesday night’s school board meeting from Principal Marci Knauft.

“Being trauma sensitive requires a purposeful shift in perception on the part of the staff, one that is pro-active instead of punitive,” Knauft said. “We try not to take things personally, instead we try to identify the need behind the behavior and work with the student to get it met in a more pro-social way,” Knauft said.

This approach is working based on recent student discipline data. The school now uses in-school suspensions or in-school discipline rather than out-of-school expulsions or suspensions. In 2009, there were 600 written referrals and this school year there have been less than 100. This year there has not been a school incident leading to the need for police action whereas five years ago there were nearly 50 incidents. These days at Lincoln High School expulsions and out-of-school suspensions are also nearly non-existent. Knauft credits her staff for their compassion, leadership and resolve to help students succeed.

The school also teams with Trilogy for Recovery High School which offers students with substance abuse issues additional support to advance their academic success. Lincoln High School’s on-time graduation rate for the Class of 2014 was 76.4%.