
PARTNERSHIP FOR RESILIENCE
Serving Trauma Responsive Schools in Southern Illinois
Serving Trauma Responsive Schools in Southern Illinois
Extending the view of schools beyond just institutions for learning but inclusive of a whole-child experience.
Extending the view of schools beyond just institutions for learning but inclusive of a whole-child experience.
Care For The Whole Child
Care For The Whole Child
- Healthy
- Safe
- Engaged
- Supported
- Challenged


Southern Illinois Partnership for Resilience Initiative
Southern Illinois Partnership for Resilience Initiative
We’re proud to be a part of Partnership for Resilience. The organization started in the Chicagoland area with the goal of working to improve academic, health, and social outcomes for children. We’re continuing that mission right here in Southern Illinois!
“Both the need and the opportunity for change are great in southern Illinois”
“Both the need and the opportunity for change are great in southern Illinois”
We’ve been continually impressed by the willingness of administrators, union leaders and teachers to engage the science of resilience and make their schools trauma-sensitive.
Our Partners
Our Partners




“We are inspired by the collaborative efforts of the Partnership for Resilience and Resilient Southern Illinois to create trauma-responsive approaches to support all students in rural southern Illinois. As a member of EdRedesign’s national cross-sector network, Resilient Southern Illinois has been an exemplar and leader in innovative, student-centered work, and I look forward to their continued contributions thanks to the generous support of the Poshard Foundation.”
“Resilient Southern Illinois (RSI) has been able to bring together the school community, teachers, and leaders in our region in a fruitful effort to better serve students and families as they face various issues and trauma. The positive outcomes of RSI were evident shortly after its start in 2018 with 15 schools in Southern Illinois, of which Vienna was one. However, as schools across the country have been impacted by the response to the pandemic, and the need for resilient students and teachers has been greatly demonstrated, Vienna’s involvement in the RSI initiative equipped our community to be steps ahead of what was clearly a totally unexpected global event. More specifically in Vienna’s situation we were also faced with an unprecedented automobile accident that occurred during the struggles of the pandemic that involved six students and claimed the lives of four. One of these events on its own would be enough to create lasting derailment. The network that has been built and continues to be built, professional development for school staff that is provided, research and applicable practices that have been developed and refined, and numerous other activities of RSI all better positioned our school community to have the capacity to face these tragedies and further develop resilience for our young people and adults. It is exciting that the Poshard Foundation, with its valuable history of being dedicated to children, has been able to identify the need to expand these efforts and make them accessible to more kids and families in our region.”
“The Poshard Foundation has a long history of philanthropy within communities across southern Illinois. Improving the lives of children by joining with others with a similar vision has been its laser focus. The Partnership for Resilience, by way of Resilient Southern Illinois, is extremely grateful for the opportunity to enhance its services which will impact our youth in such a meaningful way. The generous donation from the Poshard Foundation will further our work with building trauma responsive spaces for our students and their families.”
“Together, we are working as a community to help improve students’ lives,” IEA Director of Teaching and Learning Mary Jane Morris said. “It’s so important to educate the whole child, and through this program we are making sure that’s happening across all of Southern Illinois. We are building strong students, strong schools and strong communities.”