Trainings

for schools

Building Resilient Schools

AZACEs offers a comprehensive three-year training program designed to transform schools into trauma and resilience-informed environments. The Resilience Empowerment Program (REP) provides a foundation for community building while facilitating the development of practical tools and strategies to support educators and students to gain awareness of the impact of trauma, toxic stress, and ACEs.

The Impact of Becoming Trauma-Informed

Becoming trauma-informed benefits the larger community. We want teachers to feel supported and empowered so they can give students their best while remaining healthy and happy themselves. In a recent survey of Arizona teachers, the vast majority said they are overwhelmed and don’t feel adequately supported. With more knowledge, support, and tools in their toolkit, students, families, and staff will all benefit.

Our REP for Schools program serves multiple audiences within your school community:

✓ School Administrators

✓ Board Leadership

✓ Educators

✓ School & Child Care Staff

✓ Students

Benefits of Our Resilience Program for Schools

Educator-Focused Curriculum

Training curricula was co-created with current educators and mental health professionals who understand the demographics, cultures, and communities schools represent.

Expert Facilitators

All sessions are interactive and led by Certified ACEs & Resilience Trainers

Flexible Delivery

In-person training sessions held at school sites or virtually online, as requested by school leadership.

Comprehensive Support

A structured three-year program with ongoing support for lasting transformation.

Three-Year Program Structure

Year 1: For Educators & Staff with no previous training in ACEs & Resiliency

  • 12 hours of training
  • 3 hours/month with Resilience Ambassador
  • 2 hours/month with Administration

Year 2: For Educators & Staff who completed Year 1

  • 8 hours of training
  • 2 hours/month with Resilience Ambassador
  • 1 hour/month with Administration

Year 3: For Educators & Staff who completed Years 1 and 2

  • 4 hours of training
  • 1 hour/month with Resilience Ambassador
  • 0.5 hour/month with Administration

Resilience Ambassador Program

Participating schools choose one person to serve as a Resilience Ambassador (RA) who becomes a liaison between AZACEs and school staff. RAs and Administrators receive ongoing support in understanding the most up-to-date research on trauma responsiveness in the educational environment.

Ambassador Benefits:

  • Ongoing professional development in trauma-informed approaches
  • Direct consultation with AZACEs experts
  • Resources to mentor colleagues at their school site
  • Support to ensure lasting implementation of trauma-sensitive practices

Why Resilience-Informed Education Matters in Arizona

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood trauma has reached the level of a public health crisis, with Arizona ranking highest in the nation for individuals who have experienced two or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This crisis affects many Arizona children and families who are part of our public schools, communities, and healthcare systems daily.

Certain populations are two to three times more likely to have multiple ACEs, including:

People living on Native American reservations

Women of color

Children in mixed immigration status families

People with disabilities

People with foster care system contact

Start Your School's Resilience-Informed Journey

Mitigating the impacts of ACEs and childhood adversity takes each one of us, working together, to create a resilient community full of supportive, caring adults and systems.