Quiet halls. Smiling faces. Students engaged in the classroom. While these may be familiar sights in districts across Iowa, at North Union Elementary, these attributes are the hard-won results of a cultural metamorphosis. By shifting focus toward social-emotional learning (SEL) and trauma-informed care, the staff discovered that changing their own approach to interactions was the key to unlocking student success. "One of the things that I noticed right away was student behavior: how much time it consumed, how it interrupts the school day, how it raises the level of tension within a building really quickly," said Principal Katie Black. "I really had to step back and take a look at changing the narrative on allowing that to be the focal point of a day."
In the early years of her tenure, the default response to a student in crisis was often a frantic call for administration. "Student behavior will cause the most tension in a school," Black said. "Collectively, the only real response to crises with students was 'call the principal.' When staff, teachers, and paraprofessionals don’t know what to do, I feel like that was just the answer."
A Shift in Mindset
Teachers felt that tension, too. Neola Bruhn, a fourth grade teacher, admitted she was initially unsure if a new direction would work. "Student behavior was something that I knew needed to be addressed," Bruhn said. "What we were doing wasn’t helping the students grow. It wasn’t helping the students make a change. I was skeptical because I didn’t know how to do it or what approach would be successful." The change didn't happen overnight. JoAnn Eaton, a second grade teacher, noted that the evolution was gradual, supported by consistent professional development. "I don’t think it was a switch change like a light switch went on," Eaton said.
"If the only tool in your toolbox is a hammer, then you kind of see every problem as a nail. It’s not that way anymore. We have so many more tools in our toolbox to use."
Building a Toolbox
The district invested heavily in resources, starting with Jen Alexander’s book, Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools. Staff learned that regardless of the challenges a student might face outside of school, the classroom can remain a consistent, regulated space through the intentional actions of the educators.
"We had to take a look at who we are as professionals... the energy we bring to our jobs," Black said. "Anywhere between 5% and 20% of our population are not going to have all of those skills that they need to be successful every day. Behavior and social-emotional learning is a big piece of that."
Michelle Bierstedt, the school’s SEL coordinator, said reading What Happened to You? was a turning point for the entire staff. "That book really opened our eyes staff-wide that, 'hey, these kids need that extra additional love and support that they get from our teachers every day, and some of them need just a little bit more,'" Bierstedt said. Black agreed, noting that the staff began to view behavior as a form of communication. "They’re really telling us what they need," she said. "The goal is to help them build the skills to cope, so they can regulate and know what they need on their own."
Expanding the Team
Over the last eight years, the school has added specialized roles to support this mission. Bierstedt’s role was created five years ago, while Beth Borchardt recently joined as a districtwide social worker. "I think our district has made a commitment to mental health," Borchardt said. "It’s realizing the importance of supporting students at a social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health level—treating the whole child, not just academically." Even the school nurse’s office has evolved. "She helps provide resources to families," Black said. "It goes beyond ice packs and bandaids."
The Zone Room: A Proactive Space for Success
The district's commitment to self-regulation is best seen in the "Zone Room," a dedicated space designed to help students navigate their internal emotional weather. The room serves as a proactive resource where students learn to identify their emotional state using color-coded zones—typically ranging from blue (tired or sad) and green (ready to learn) to yellow (anxious or embarrassed), and red (frustrated or angry).
“When students need to take a break—which is more or less the language that we use—they come in and identify their feelings,” said First Grade Teacher Latasha Bruhn. “According to those feelings, that is the zone that they would use, and in that zone are some activities and different things that help with their regulation.” The room is equipped with sensory tools and calming activities tailored to each zone, allowing students to "reset" their nervous systems. Crucially, the space is used just as often for preventative care as it is for active distress. “Often I’ve had scheduled breaks in the zone room,” Latasha added. “We know that mid-morning they might need that break, so they come in, they reset, and they’re ready to enter the classroom, ready to learn.” For Eaton, the second grade teacher, the room is a vital partner in academic success. “If they need a moment, we want to give them that moment,” she said. “So that when they come back, the only thing that’s on their mind is getting the work done…the academics.”
"I’ve seen an increase in first grade students’ being able to regulate their own emotions and being able to be successful inside of our classroom rather than being removed," Latasha Bruhn said. "As a teacher, that’s incredibly exciting."
Emotional Management through Yoga
Beyond the Zone Room, the district has introduced a partnership with Kayla from Safe Harbor Yoga to bring mindful yoga directly to the students. This practice serves as another high-impact tool for emotional management, teaching children how to connect their physical sensations to their mental state.
"Our students get to experience so much more than just learning a yoga pose," Black said. "They’re learning how to regulate themselves and they’re learning things that they can do when they need a moment of calm."
By integrating these movements into the school week, students gain a physical outlet for stress and a toolkit of breathing techniques they can use anywhere—from the playground to the classroom desk.
"Positivity Spread Like Wildfire"
The result is a building where the "Warrior Way" expectations provide a common language and the staff operates as a family—often wearing shirts that proudly proclaim, "Ain’t No Family Like the One I Got."
"The change is evident when you walk through the door," Bierstedt said.
"You can walk down our halls and teachers are having conversations with our students, high-fiving, giving those warm hugs. We have just seen positivity spread like wildfire."
For teachers like Eaton, the new system provides a sense of security. "It doesn’t just fall on the teacher in the classroom. It’s a team, which makes us very special here."
Principal Black looks at the growth of her students with the same pride she has for their academic achievements.
"We look at our social-emotional learning growth in students in the same way we look at reading and math growth," Black said. "Student behavior will never be at zero. I realized it was a reality, but I didn't want it to be our legacy. Shifting and changing that narrative became our goal...and it will be moving forward. "
This story is part of The Iowa Way: Strong Schools, Stronger Communities A celebration of Iowa public education, presented by School Administrators of Iowa.
To read other inspiring stories, visit lead.sai-iowa.org/theiowaway.