Jim Sporleder is a 28-year veteran of the Walla Walla School District. He retired in  2014 as principal of Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, Washington. Under Jim’s leadership, Lincoln High School became a trauma-informed school, gaining national attention due to a dramatic drop in out-of-school suspensions, increased graduation rates and the number of students going on to post-secondary education. These dramatic changes at Lincoln caught the attention of filmmaker Jamie Redford, who spent a year filming at Lincoln, resulting in the documentary, Paper Tigers.  Paper Tigers was screened at the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival, earning positive reviews. It has also been shown nationally and internationally to groups large and small working on promoting trauma-informed systems change.

Jim is currently working as a trauma-informed coach / consultant and previously was a trainer with the Children’s Resilience Initiative, based in Walla Walla. He is the author, most recently, with trauma expert Heather T. Ford of The Trauma-informed School Guide for Administrators. His travels as a consultant, keynote speaker, presenter and trainer have taken him all over the United States.

Suggested reading:

• Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, WA, tries new approach to school discipline -- suspensions drop 85%
• Lincoln High School principal on compassion and punishment: a bigger bat may hurt a student, but hurts a community more
• Jim's PPT: The Trauma-informed School

ACEs Connection Staff Reporter Laurie Udesky will moderate the discussion.