Researcher says retired Beloit teachers report widespread secondary trauma and limited administrative supports

Dr. Stephanie Hormick, a researcher and director of the LGBTQ program at Family Services of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, told the School District of Beloit’s Teaching, Learning, Equity and Pupil Services committee on March 18 that retired educators she interviewed reported widespread experiences of secondary or vicarious trauma and insufficient administrative support.

Hormick said she interviewed 25 retired district educators for her dissertation research and found recurring themes: teachers relied on peers for emotional support, many felt administration was not a safe place to report trauma, and district handbooks and policies lack language addressing educator mental health. “I asked them about trauma, they got to actually have a conversation with me. Some of the teachers, when I asked them about trauma, were like, ‘no, I don’t think so’ — and then they started telling stories,” Hormick said.

Hormick defined secondary and vicarious trauma as emotional effects that come from hearing stories of traumatic experiences rather than direct exposure. She said 10 of the first 14 participants relied on peer support and that 85% of the 25 participants said administrative bias or lack of administrative support contributed to feelings of insecurity and burnout. She described instances in which educators learned about school safety incidents from newspapers rather than direct administrative check‑ins.

Committee members praised the presentation and discussed next steps. Board member Tom Hankins called it a “beautiful presentation” and said teacher retention makes the findings “imperative” for the board to consider. Committee members asked whether teachers have access to counseling and whether building principals and other administrators are trained to recognize trauma signals in staff; Hormick and members of the committee said training and outreach could be strengthened.

Hormick recommended the district examine policies governing mentoring, peer support and post‑incident follow‑up and extend trauma‑informed care beyond students to include teachers, paraprofessionals, coaches and administrators. “If we are Beloit proud, then we need to care enough about our teachers to ensure that their well‑being is important so that they can also be Beloit proud,” she said.

Committee members asked to continue the discussion in future meetings and explore how existing district supports might be better publicized and structured. Hormick offered to share her full dissertation with district staff and board members.

Speakers quoted in this article spoke during the March 18 committee meeting and the presentation portion of the evening.