We are NOT the Alternative School, BUT the school with Alternatives

Format

Individual Presentation

Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

The Central Academy

First Presenter’s Email Address

lindsay.thompson@henderson.kyschools.us

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Lindsay Thompson is the current Principal at Central Academy and has been in education for 23 years. She earned her Bachelor’s of Biology and Chemistry at Ball State University, and her Master’s of Education in Educational Leadership from University of Southern Indiana.

Second Presenter's Institution

The Central Academy

Second Presenter’s Email Address

ryan.maher@henderson.kyschools.us

Second Presenter's Brief Biography

Ryan Maher is the current Assistant Principal at Central Academy and has been in education for 18 years. He earned his Bachelor’s in Elementary Education at Pittsburg State University and his Master’s of Education in Educational Administration from the University of Scranton.

Third Presenter's Institution

The Central Academy

Third Presenter’s Email Address

cassandra.crowder@henderson.kyschools.us

Third Presenter's Brief Biography

Cassie Crowder is one of the current school counselors at Central Academy and she has been in education for 19 years. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Middle School Education from the University of Kentucky and her Master’s Degree in school counseling from Western Kentucky University. She recently earned her principal’s license through the University of the Cumberlands.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Scarbrough 5

Strand #1

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Strand #2

Health: Mental & Physical Health

Relevance

Social & Emotional Skills:

As a school with Alternatives, we focus a lot of our energy on supporting our students social and emotional wellbeing. We have adopted Character Strong curriculum to help our students gain better social skills, friendships, and to help resolve conflicts without physical aggression. We also are able to bring in a lot of outside agencies to come speak to different groups of kids (depending on their struggles/needs) to give them first hand experiences of how choices and actions can change their lives for better or worse. From these sessions and discussions, our hope is that these students can transition back to their home school and be successful, or once graduated, become contributing members of our community.

Mental & Physical Health:

At Central Academy, we work with multiple community partners to break barriers and allow access to practitioners that help our students with mental and physical health. We have a licensed psychiatrist available to our students and families one day a week. We have licensed mental health counselor who meets with students every day. Throughout our school day, we incorporate mindfulness, Character Strong curriculum, and other strategies to benefit their mental and physical health. Looking at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 3 tiered system, we have to understand the different levels within the pyramid. The top of the pyramid, self-fulfillment needs, is where most of the focus tends to be. At Central Academy, we have to focus primarily on the bottom level, basic needs, as well as the middle level, psychological needs, as this is where the majority of our population of students are needing assistance.

Brief Program Description

It is our goal to change the perceptions of alternative schools as a placement for “bad kids”, to a place where students gain the support needed to become successful in their home schools through community partnerships and transition plans within our district to become successful after graduation.

Summary

Our proposal to the committee is to explain the processes we use to help students with their mental health and to help make them successful at their home school or after graduation. We will inform the audience of the steps taken once a student has been removed from their home school and placed in an alternative setting. We will also discuss the many partnerships within our building; including psychologists, counselors, school counselors, mental health counselors, Department of Juvenile Justice workers, court designated workers, small groups (initiated by outside support programs) and the director for the Center of Youth, Justice, and Services. With all these resources being available in our building, it is important for our staff to understand the importance of mental health and ensuring that all students have a chance at being successful.

All staff within our building have been trained by the University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children to become more knowledgeable about the effects and outcomes of childhood traumas. This not only benefits our staff, but it also helps our students who may have a better rapport with certain teachers feel more comfortable about opening up and sharing their problems.

Students have the opportunity to engage in small groups, mindfulness, and counseling services while enrolled in our program. A licensed mental health counselor is available on-site daily during school hours. She offers individual, group, and family counseling services. Along with a mental health clinician, a licensed psychiatrist with office hours is also made available to our students and their families weekly.

The culture of our classrooms are unique because we offer smaller class sizes, individualized attention to students, with counselors, teachers, and clinicians who work together to create an environment conducive to student growth.

Our hope while presenting this information, is that other professionals take away ideas, the progression, and hopefully a drive to implement their own trauma-informed programs to better help our youth.

Evidence

According to CDC statistics on abuse and violence in the United States, one in four children experiences some sort of maltreatment (physical, sexual, or emotional abuse). One in four women has experienced domestic violence. In addition, one in five women and one in 71 men have experienced rape at some point in their lives — 12% of these women and 30% of these men were younger than 10 years old when they were raped. This means a very large number of people have experienced serious trauma at some point in their lives.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now implicate toxic childhood stress as a significant risk factor for a long list of cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and medical disorders — as well as for early death. To prevent and mitigate these effects, the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for a “new pediatric paradigm to promote health and prevent disease,” one built around a foundation of trauma-informed care.

By definition, care that is trauma informed involves prevention, recognition, and response to trauma-related difficulties. Experts agree that incorporating an awareness of trauma into medical care requires a systems-wide approach.

From CTAC-

Trauma Informed Practices for Educators and School Personnel

This training provides an overview of the impact of trauma exposure on youth and their functioning in school environments. Participants will learn: the types of trauma school-aged children may be exposed to; the impact of trauma exposure on the developing brain and the subsequent impact on cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning; and signs and symptoms of traumatic stress and how it may manifest in the school setting. Participants have the opportunity to practice application of an array of trauma informed approaches to build resilience in children and reduce traumatic stress symptoms. Strategies for use at universal, targeted and intensive levels of student intervention are provided. Effects of secondary exposure to trauma on professionals is discussed and participants learn to recognize the signs of secondary traumatic stress. Participants are guided to identify trauma informed practices they can utilize in their workplaces.

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to gain insight to the resources and clientele used to help ensure that students are being supported both mentally and physically.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will gain a better understanding of trauma-informed practices with a high percentage of at-risk students.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will learn about the processes involved in becoming a trauma-informed school.

Keyword Descriptors

Trauma, Alternative, Supports, Team, Understanding, Transition, Effective Practices, Graduation

Presentation Year

2025

Start Date

3-4-2025 2:45 PM

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Mar 4th, 2:45 PM

We are NOT the Alternative School, BUT the school with Alternatives

Scarbrough 5

It is our goal to change the perceptions of alternative schools as a placement for “bad kids”, to a place where students gain the support needed to become successful in their home schools through community partnerships and transition plans within our district to become successful after graduation.