Recently, two noted neuropsychological experts, Dr. Stephanie Monaghan-Blout and Dr. Nancy Roosa of Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA), delivered an online presentation titled “Autism and Trauma: The Intersection” that provides some very helpful insights for understanding how neurodiverse students may react to traumatic stress.
Beginning this week, TLPI staff will be working remotely in response to the public health emergency resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. We will continue operations by responding to e-mails, phone calls and website requests as normal, but will be doing so from outside our office. As we began preparing for this transition, we grappled with how to stay connected as a team and thought it might be helpful to schools and districts to create an opportunity to join us in thinking through how to maintain the strong sense of community that exists in trauma-sensitive, safe and supportive schools when the schools have been shut down.
TLPI convened a legislative briefing where students from Massachusetts High Schools shared with legislators what they need from their schools in order to learn and do well. The students’ comments make a powerful argument for why we need to include their voice in education reform efforts.