By Kelley R. Taylor, Oct 9, 2019, Filed in News and Features SLJ
A double homicide spurred Janet Damon, then an elementary school librarian, to begin offering whole-child support in the library, focusing on health in partnership with learning. “Our students had to walk past the crime scene, which was a car parked near our playground, right next to the bus stop,” she says.
That was more than 10 years ago, but Damon, currently a library services specialist for Denver Public Schools, points to the incident as the moment she first became aware of trauma-informed approaches. “I had never experienced anything like that growing up,” she says. “So I began providing more affirming stories and activities in the library.”
Those efforts eventually led to programming focused on building positive relationships and resilience. Damon deepened her knowledge of trauma-informed practices while pursuing her postgraduate degree in school leadership. Now, she offers access to mindfulness practices—self-awareness and tuning in to the present moment—and yoga. She has also established community partnerships for families outside of school.
Comments (0)