(Photo above: Paper Tigers screencap – Erik Gordon’s class about ACEs | courtesy of Paper Tigers Press Kit)
December 11 event includes free viewing of award-winning documentary Paper Tigers on Friday, December 11.
Instead of asking students “What’s wrong with you?” — Principal Jim Sporleder asked “What happened to you?” This change in thinking and practice, which focused on understanding the trauma many of his students had experienced, sparked dramatic change at his school in Walla Walla, Washington. Graduation rates soared, while expulsions and suspensions plummeted — something he attributes to a focus on youth who had Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Sporleder and four students at Lincoln High School are the focus of an award-winning documentary, “Paper Tigers,” which will be screened in the auditorium at Bend Senior High School, 6pm, Friday, December 11. Afterward, Sporleder will offer a presentation on trauma-informed education and ACEs and will answer questions. Bend-La Pine Schools and the United Way of Deschutes County sponsor the event, which is free and open to the public.
“We hope this event will serve as a call to action for our staff and community members to serve students in a new way,” said Sal Cassaro, Director of Secondary Programs for Bend-La Pine Schools. “We want to raise awareness about children who struggle with Adverse Childhood Experiences, such as poverty, drug-addicted parents, physical abuse, death of loved ones and many other kinds of trauma. We want to reach these students.”
The movie Paper Tigers is directed by James Redford, Robert Redford’s son, who was attracted to the subject after hearing about the dramatic changes at Lincoln High School. Sporleder retired as principal at Lincoln and is now working as a trainer with the Children’s Resilience Initiative.
Cassaro can be reached at: 541.355.1025
Julianne Repman
Director of Communication and Safety, Bend-La Pine Schools
Regional Director of School Safety, High Desert ESD
520 NW Wall, Bend, OR 97701
541.355.1010 p * 541.355.1009 f
{www.bend.k12.or.us} {www.hdesd.org}
