Kellogg Middle School Selected for $10,000 Best Starts for Kids Grant

Kellogg Middle School was recently announced as a Trauma-Informed and Restorative Practice Grant recipient through King County’s Best Starts for Kids. The goal of the $10,000 grant is to create what is referred to as a trauma-informed school, where the faculty, staff and students have the skills and tools needed to create environments where children facing unpredictable, ongoing stress or trauma in their lives feel safe. These environments build resilience so that all students are better able to bounce back when facing adversity.

“We are specifically looking at the impact of stress and trauma on students in regards to academic success, attendance and discipline referrals,” explained Kellogg Principal Heather Hiatt. “We will be using the resources to create support systems for these students, such as restorative justice practices, adult mentors, professional development in culturally relevant teaching practices, and the impact that traumatic experiences can have on adolescent brain development.”

Hiatt hopes to see the grant support a reduction in absences, discipline and suspensions, and an increase in student achievement.

About Best Starts for Kids

Voters in 2015 approved a six-year levy proposed by Executive Constantine to fund Best Starts for Kids, an initiative to help put every baby born and every child raised in King County on a path toward lifelong success.

It invests in the promotion, prevention, and early intervention strategies that promote healthier, more resilient children, youth, families and communities. It is considered the most comprehensive approach to early childhood development in the United States, starting with prenatal support, sustaining the gain through teenage years, and investing in safe, healthy communities that reinforce progress.