Steilacoom Historical School District Diversity Committee invited Jesse Dorin to the All Staff Welcome Back Event for the 2018-19 school year, Monday, August 27, 2018. Ms. Dorin is a Professional Development Specialist on Trauma-Informed Teaching and Compassionate Schools. Her personal story and the stories she shared about her students opened the day’s learning with a focus on the importance of relationship building and the impact of a caring adult on each and every student.
Jessie made specific reference to ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences. There are 10 identified major experiences encompassed by this term and they range from abuse and neglect to a family history of mental illness or incarceration. The impact of these ACEs has been widely researched; the original ACE study was done through a partnership of the Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente. More information about this study can be found at the CDC website.
One of the district’s areas of focus this year is on developing student resiliency skills to cope, recover from adversity, and be prepared for challenges. Resiliency enables people to return to being healthy and hopeful.
Later in the day, Jesse was one of a variety of presenters teaching workshops of various professional development topics to staff. Monday was one of three staff professional development days prior to the first day of school, Thursday, August 30, 2018.
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Jesse is a National Board Certified English teacher who taught for 14 years in continuation and general education high schools in the Bay Area. She also taught graduate courses for Loyola Marymount University and Touro University. From years of classroom experience working with students in crises, she has developed a specialty for uncovering and addressing hidden student crises. She inspires school staff to bravely own their talents and vulnerabilities so that students get the social emotional support that they need.
Steilacoom Historical School District No. 1 serves Steilacoom, DuPont, Anderson Island and portions of Lakewood and unincorporated Pierce County.