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Honored for ‘Teaching with Trauma in Mind’

November 6, 2020
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Walking into Analisa McCann’s first-grade classroom at Broadway Elementary could seem like a normal everyday classroom. However, you might notice a student that has quietly left the reading circle to take time away in a rocking chair, separate from the rest of his classmates, while reading a book to help calm himself so that he can return to learning with the rest of the class.

McCann has dedicated the last few years to “teaching with trauma in mind,” using trauma-invested strategies to change her teaching methods along with those at her school. The result: increased learning and decreased numbers of student discipline.

Her efforts were recognized recently, as McCann was named the 2019-2020 Regional Teacher of the Year as well as 2019 Educator of the Year by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Research shows that trauma affects children’s brains, which in turn impacts how they can learn. Some are just wired to be in a constant fight, flight or freeze mode.

“Kids need to feel safe, comfortable and loved,” McCann said. “They need healthy bonds with adults they consider trustworthy.”

The aforementioned rocking chair student started the school year with frequent meltdowns that disrupted the class. His first lesson was not about reading, writing or math; it was about how to stay safe.

“He has the right to go to the rocking chair whenever he wants,” she said. “He’s still listening. He’s still participating.”

Now with self-regulated emotions, he’s able to make progress academically because he isn’t constantly leaving the classroom.

McCann is usually one of the first to arrive at school, connecting with students at breakfast and greeting them at her door. She also is there for them after school. Her caring reaches far beyond the school’s walls.

“One relationship can make a difference in kids’ lives. If I can be that person, I’m lucky and honored,” she said. “It’s not just their life that changes, it’s mine. When I am teaching, I am my true self. These students are my why.”

NOTE: A version of this article first appeared in the 2020 Liberty Lake Yearbook.

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Service above self: Liberty Lake Rotary

October 30, 2019
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  • Cheryl Woods of Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary on a 2017 trip to Honduras

In spring 2019, a group from the Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary Club headed to Honduras in partnership with Pure Water for the World. While there, these Rotarians installed water filtration systems, taught basic hygiene and delivered books, school supplies, new school uniforms, hygiene items and fun things for the kids. Everything was donated by the club’s local members, as well as the Post Falls Rotary Club, Columbia Bank, and many friends and community members.

This was the second trip to Honduras for club members Chris Choate and Cheryl Woods, who organized the trip and procured an international grant from Rotary which covered the cost of the water filtration systems. Across the country, more than 1 million people lack access to improved sanitation, 638,000 lack safe water and many of these are children who are missing school due to sickness from contaminated water.

This trip is just one of many projects the active club of approximately 30 members is involved in. The annual Memorial Day Breakfast at Pavillion Park resulted in the club being able to donate all proceeds to the local Inland Northwest Honor Flight to send seven local veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials built in their honor. The club’s largest annual fundraiser, the RIM Ride held every September, was started by Rotary’s current President, Mandy Desgrosellier, and raises funds for local causes such as the HUB 360 program, college scholarships, Friends of Pavillion Park, Special Olympics Washington and a number of other local non-profits connected to Rotary’s mission.

State Farm agent Emily Osborne became the Liberty Lake Rotary president in June 2019 and is celebrating 20 years with State Farm this year.

“I moved to Liberty Lake to open a scratch Agency here almost 12 years ago and was so focused on starting this business that I ended up buying a condo in 20 minutes,” Osborne recalled. “That’s when I met Mary Duncan at Liberty Closing & Escrow, who invited me to a Rotary meeting. I had no idea what Rotary was but thought it would be a good distraction, a way of getting insurance off my mind for an hour a week, but it’s turned out to be so much more. Rotary is simply amazing! I wish more people knew all the good in the world they do — promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education and helping to grow local economies. How can you not get behind that? I really do love what I do at State Farm and am so grateful for my customers and for a career that allows me to be a part of Rotary, and to give back to my community and the world. It’s a passion I am very proud to be a part of.”

NOTE: A version of this article first appeared in the 2019 Liberty Lake Yearbook.

3 considerations for protecting your RV

November 28, 2019
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If you own an RV, you can relate: How can something that causes so much joy and freedom while it’s in use demand such attention and stress when it’s at rest? An RV that isn’t being used takes up a ton of space and is a common target for vandalism. Depending on where you park it, it may also fall victim to everything from the weather to restrictive HOA covenants.

How can something that brings so much joy in use cause so much stress at rest?

If you don’t have a lot of property and a specially built RV garage, the team at Affordable Self Storage recommends considering the following factors to make sure you are protecting your investment.

• Security: RVs are a frequent target for vandalism and break-ins when kept out in the open. Consider using a storage company. Affordable Self Storage utilizes high fences, gated access and video surveillance to protect your investment, and even has large, locked indoor storage units customized for RVs.

• Freeing up space: Even if there are not HOA restrictions on RVs at your home, the large size of RVs easily cuts into home storage, curb appeal and often limits parking and maneuverability for other vehicles. Specially designed storage solves all of these problems, and it is more affordable than you might think — particularly if you are only looking for outdoor parking options similar to what would be provided by your driveway.

• Weather: Exposure to the elements is a threat to anything left outdoors in the Inland Northwest. If you are serious about maximizing the protection of your investment, consider a super-sized unit. Affordable Self Storage leases 45 to 60-foot indoor units with access to power and lighting.

Unlike many solutions offered for RVs, Affordable Self Storage was actually designed with RV owners in mind — all the way down to having an RV dump available for customers. The nearby locations in Otis Orchards and on Sullivan offer a wide range of options for RVs, from indoor units boasting 14-foot high doors to closely monitored outside parking.

NOTE: A version of this article first appeared in the 2019 Liberty Lake Yearbook.


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1 Comment
    Angie McCall says: Reply
    November 15th 2020, 3:28 pm

    YESSSSSS!!! She “gets” it!! As a licensed counselor I’m so thankful for teachers like her who are giving students who have experienced trauma a chance to practice their emotional regulation skills and learning academically at the same time!

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