Jennings County School Corp. will use a $5,000 donation from a hospital foundation for resources to help its employees better understand and relate to children who have experienced trauma.
Representatives of Riley Children’s Foundation visited North Vernon Elementary School on Tuesday to present the check at the school’s new playground.
The school district will use the money for its new Trauma Informed Model of reaching children emotionally and building trusting relationships between students and teachers.
“Our goal is to educate every staff member and employee in how to relate to children who have experienced trauma,” said Katie Brennan, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment.
Brennan said the contribution from Riley will allow the school district to provide materials and hire speakers who are experts on how to relate to children who suffer the effects of abuse, neglect, poverty, food insecurity and other hardships.
“The Trauma Informed Model is not new in a broad sense. For years, experts have been studying the effects hardships and traumas have on the brains of children. But the program on learning specific things to do to help a child experiencing those effects is new to Jennings County,” Brennan said.
Grants from Riley Children’s Foundation typically go to non-profit organizations instead of schools, but Brennan’s office applied to Riley for the grant anyway.
“They became very excited about what we are trying to do here and gave us the money. We are very grateful,” Brennan said.
The Riley Children’s Foundation is the fundraising Department of Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis.
“The Riley Foundation supports quality of life programs for children across the entire state,” said Riley Children’s Foundation spokeswoman Kate Sarlitto.
