Trauma Informed Practices

A GENEROUS GIFT TRANSFORMS HOW OUR EDUCATORS CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN EXPERIENCING TRAUMA.

This spring, the Denver Public Schools Foundation received a $1 million grant to support trauma-informed practices. The grant was awarded by The Campbell Foundation, a donor-advised fund of The Denver Foundation.

A trauma-informed approach across Denver Public Schools

Nationwide, one in four students is impacted by trauma, which can mean anything from a car accident to homelessness. It is critical for our school communities to not only recognize trauma, but be trained and have the resources to support children who are experiencing trauma.

This generous grant will support a comprehensive four-part strategy that provides training and coaching for trauma-informed practices, including the development of an official trauma certification for DPS staff, and will help create education environments that recognize learning and behavior challenges as a symptom of root causes. A portion of the Campbell grant will also be dedicated to the development and implementation of a therapeutic day school within DPS.

This investment truly holds the promise of helping us address barriers so Every Child Succeeds and follows the resolution passed by the DPS Board of Education, declaring the district to be a trauma-informed district.

This is a perfect example of how the collaboration between Denver Public Schools and DPS Foundation works for the good of all of our students.

When Janice and Jim Campbell wanted to make a large gift to support Denver Public Schools, DPS Foundation was their partner in helping them find a way to make an enormous difference in the lives of our students. While the Campbells had some ideas of how they might want to direct their donor advised fund, they met with us at the Denver Public Schools Foundation to determine how their gift could be the most impactful. Together, we looked at various areas within DPS, explored where important opportunities were and reviewed the potential outcomes.

As the strategic partner for DPS, we were able to use our unique understanding of DPS and education to point out unique needs that were important not only for the investors, but also for DPS. With expertise from DPS and DPS Foundation, we were able to channel the generosity of these donors by realizing their intent and where the gift would make the biggest difference for students. It is just one of the ways we are the bridge between Denver Public Schools and the community.