Audubon vice principal outlines year‑one of trauma‑informed DREAMS initiative

Dan Howey, vice principal for personnel services at Audubon Junior‑Senior High School, told the Audubon Board of Education that the district’s first year of DREAMS — Developing Resiliency with Engaging Approaches to Maximize Success — has prioritized staff training and building internal capacity before expanding directly to students.

"DREAMS is grounded in trauma‑informed, healing‑centered practices," Howey said. He described the initiative’s core focus on relationships, emotional regulation and student resilience and said the district has certified two in‑district Nurtured Heart Approach trainers so it can provide ongoing professional development without relying on outside vendors.

The program has added tangible supports to help staff manage stress, Howey said, including massage chairs, yoga mats and exercise equipment placed in common support areas and staff lounges. Howey said those purchases and in‑district training have generated buy‑in from staff, which the district views as essential for long‑term culture change.

Board members asked about the timeline for expanding DREAMS to students. Howey said year one concentrated on staff and building a sustainable team and that expansion will follow once staff practices are consistently embedded and the district can monitor impact on school climate.

The presentation included a short training video used during staff sessions and an outline of monthly mentoring and coaching cycles that district leaders plan to continue. Howey said the district will monitor outcomes and return to the board with updates as the work scales.

The board thanked Howey for the update; no formal action was required.