"Trauma Skilled Literacy Instruction and Social-Emotional Learning" is a new 16-page guide authored by recognized thought leaders Dr. Sandy Addis, Dr. Doug Fisher and Dr. Donna Wright (bios below).  Available for free to districts, teachers and parents, this resource aims to provide improved support for students and their families at a time when the pandemic’s impact on children’s health is being felt nationwide.  Available here https://go.achieve3000.com/2021-03-Trauma-A3K.html, this online guide will provide readers with the following: 

  • A thorough understanding of how trauma impacts learning.
  • Practical steps to address COVID learning loss.
  • Real-life examples of districts finding success.

Drs. Addis, Fisher and Wright have compiled this user-friendly guide to give readers useful strategies to help students move past trauma and succeed both emotionally and academically. They include:

  • How to help trauma-impacted students succeed.
  • Teaching hope and resilience to traumatized students.
  • Building relationships with SEL and literacy instruction.

This new guide is published by Achieve3000, a leader in differentiated and personalized instructional platforms currently used by more than five million students both in school and online.  "Trauma Skilled Literacy Instruction and Social-Emotional Learning" comes on the heels of Achieve3000’s other guide, “The Power of Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction,” published in February 2021 and which is also available for free to the community.  https://go.achieve3000.com/rs/026-SJE-918/images/CulturallyResponsiveLiteracyInstruction.pdf

Dr. Sandy Addis joined the National Dropout Prevention Center staff in May of 2013 and currently serves as Chairman. He has 44 years of experience in public education in a variety of roles that include teacher, counselor, coach, principal, system-level administrator, and director of a regional educational service agency. He has designed and administered a variety of dropout prevention initiatives that include after-school programs, counseling, and service-learning. Dr. Addis has served on numerous professional boards, testified before legislative committees, and recently chaired the Educator Ethics Task Force of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. 

Dr. Doug Fisher is Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College having been an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is the recipient of an International Reading Association William S. Gray Citation of Merit, an Exemplary Leader Award from the Conference on English Leadership of NCTE, as well as a Christa McAuliffe Excellence in Teacher Education Award.  

Dr. Donna Wright, literacy advocate, 2019 Tennessee Superintendent of the Year, and Wilson County Director of Schools.  Under her leadership, Wilson County Schools have experienced unprecedented growth in size and academic achievement. Student performance has increased steadily since Dr. Wright began serving as the Director of Schools in July 2014. Prior to her appointment, she spent more than three decades working in education as a teacher, principal, administrator, and assistant superintendent. 

Stuart Udell has extensive experience in the education industry, currently serving as CEO of Achieve3000, a comprehensive EdTech solutions provider to more than five million PK-12 students in 40,000 schools.  Prior, he served as CEO of K12 Inc., CEO of Catapult Learning, CEO of Penn Foster, and held division President roles at Kaplan and Renaissance Learning.  Stuart currently serves as a Commissioner on the Learning 2025 National Commission on Student-Centered Equity-Focused Education, AASA’s appointed group charged with making bold recommendations to transform American education.  Stuart also serves as Vice Chair of Future of School and on the board of directors of the Successful Practices Network, USA Test Prep, and Ventris Learning.