Creating a Healing-Centered School District
In Fall 2019, Chicago Public Schools, led by the Office of Social Emotional Learning, embarked on a long-term effort to transform CPS into a healing-centered district, recognizing that to achieve our five-year vision, we need to ensure collective wellness for all CPS students, staff, families, caregivers, and communities.
Both trauma and healing are collective experiences. Each of us has a role to play in promoting healing for others and addressing our own healing.
To transform CPS into a more trauma-engaged, culturally-responsive school district means:
Trauma-engaged
Not only understanding and being aware of trauma, but proactively promoting collective healing as a whole school system while responsively meeting the individual wellness needs of each student.
Culturally-responsive
Centering equity in healing by promoting a liberatory consciousness, recognizing a broad understanding of trauma (including historic and generational trauma), and affirming all cultures in the healing process.
The Healing-Centered Project is an opportunity to build on the work of OSEL to provide school communities with restorative and trauma-sensitive supports. It is an opportunity to bring together the many offices that work to ensure the whole school, whole community, and whole child are our focus.
Contact Us
Office of Social and Emotional Learning
773-553-1830 | healingcentered@cps.edu