TAZEWELL, VA (LOOTPRESS) – Cumberland Mountain Community Services is providing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) training for employees in Tazewell County Public Schools (TCPS) to help the teachers and staff understand adverse childhood experiences and how childhood trauma can affect each child’s transition back into traditional full day in-person learning after experiencing a drastic upset of traditional schooling brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.Â
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs ) are exposures or events that occur in childhood that can lead to a lifetime of physical and emotional difficulties. ACE exposures can be linked to seven of the top ten leading causes of death and can reduce life expectancy by 20 years. Exposure to toxic stress over time can undermine a child’s sense of safety, stability, and bonding and can be linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse in adulthood. ACEs can have lasting, negative effects on health, well-being, and opportunity. Creating and sustaining safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families can prevent ACEs and help all children reach their full potential. Â
Many fear that “learning loss” will be the biggest negative impact of the pandemic on students. Before gaps in learning can be effectively addressed instructionally, it is essential to consider the mental health and social and emotional needs of each learner, regardless of learning ability, grade, or age. The COVID-19 pandemic generated instability and uncertainty to the instructional and learning processes children commonly experienced and the expectations of all stakeholders to their traditional understandings of what a child’s typical learning experience should be.  Â
When children move from their comfort zone and feel unsafe and disconnected, learning is almost impossible and affects behavior as well. Attempts to frantically jump into “catch up” mode when schools reopen are unlikely to be effective. Instead, it is critical to create a safe, supportive environment that meets children’s mental health needs in a positive way to ensure they are ready to cooperate, learn and achieve without distraction. If this can be accomplished, learning loss will be benefitted by the development of inherent bridges in the instructional gap between grade and academic skill levels. Â
Of equal importance, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) significantly benefits the mental and emotional health of school faculty and staff. Educators learn to manage their own anxiety and trauma, and build strong, supportive relationships with their students, parents, and colleagues. Thus, teachers experience a more positive focus and outlook to what they want to accomplish with their students in the classroom. Teachers become better instructors and are more equipped cognitively and mentally to hone the learning skills of their students.  Â
Social and Emotional Learning for educators prompts resilience and provides tools to manage emotions, demonstrate empathy, establish positive relationships, resolve conflicts, achieve goals, and make responsible decisions regarding the safety and learning of their students. These abilities are always essential in life and in the classroom. Yet they have become even more important–and more difficult to access–in the wake of the global pandemic. The Adverse Childhood Experiences program addresses the mental, social and emotional health of children and adults. As children stayed home from school, those with limited access to technology and family support were disproportionately affected. Effective SEL programs create equitable environments and level the playing field by providing all students with the safety, connection and support they need to thrive academically and socially. Trauma-informed programs like ACEs give educators the tools to reach and teach children impacted by trauma, fostering healing and growth.
Cumberland Mountain Community Services provided Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) training for all school administrators and instructional directors on Tuesday, August 4, 2021. TCPS maintenance and custodial team employees received the training on Friday, August 6, 2021. All transportation team employees received the training on Friday August 13, 2021. Food Services team employees received the training on Monday, August, 16, 2021. ACEs training will also be provided for all of our teachers. The schedule for teachers will be as follows:Â
DATE | SCHOOLS ATTENDING | LOCATION | TIME |
September 1st | Richlands Elementary and Cedar Bluff Elementary staff | Richlands High School auditorium | 3:30 – 5:00 |
September 2nd | Graham Middle and Graham High School staff | Graham High School auditorium | 3:30 – 5:00 |
September 7th | Tazewell Primary and Tazewell Intermediate staff | Tazewell High School auditorium | 3:30 -5:00 |
September 9th | Richlands Middle and Richlands High staff | Richlands High School auditorium | 3:30 – 5:00 |
September 14th | Abb’s Valley, Dudley Primary, and Graham Intermediate staff | Graham High School auditorium | 3:30 – 5:00 |
September 16th | Tazewell Middle, Tazewell High, and TCCTC staff | Tazewell High auditorium | 3:30 – 5:00 |
For more information about the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) training being provided to TCPS employees, please contact Lindsey Mullins via email at lmullins@tcpsva.org or by calling 276.988.5511 ext. 1728.Â