From Coping to Hoping: Teaching Students to Thrive Through Social Trauma

This is the sixth session for Healing School Communities: Shifting the Dominant Paradigm to Center Student Wellness, a Community of Practice intended for students, families, educators and school mental health professionals who are navigating the ongoing impact of racial violence in all forms on student mental health. This Community of Practice session will offer opportunities for participants to:

1. Name and examine the organizational structures that lead to Racial Violence within School Communities.
2. Explore the various mental health implications of racial violence on school ecosystems.
3. Identify and elevate community strengths, wisdom and voice as effective strategies for healing and place them at the center in supporting mental health.
4. Become familiar with resources and tools to address the detrimental effects of racial violence in schools, that further build protective factors, power and agency.

Note: A recording of the learning session will be made available in the MHTTC Products and Resource Catalog. Certificates of completion are available to viewers of 50% (45 minutes) or more of the live webinar. CEUs are not available for this session.

Speaker: 

Jorge Santos (he/him) is a Restorative Justice Coordinator, a special education teacher and grade team leader at MS 839 in Brooklyn, NY. He is part of the school’s Instructional Leadership Team as well as the Culture & Equity Team, which focuses on creating an anti-racist and equitable learning environment. Jorge is a Restorative Justice advocate who focuses on building community and empowering student voices. He encourages social-emotional growth for students experiencing trauma instead of the traditional school disciplinary methods. He believes education and Restorative Justice practices are tools where students can examine social justice issues and become active citizens impacting their communities. Jorge has spoken at various conferences and panels discussing restorative justice, racial equity, decolonizing curriculums, and building an anti-racist school community. Jorge holds Masters Degrees in Criminology and in Special Education from St. John’s University, which influences his work around understanding social and economic inequities.

NOTE: This session is part of a Community of Practice that includes 7 weekly learning sessions. For more information about the other sessions in this Community of Practice, please click here.