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Preventing mental health concerns in young people should be everybody's business. Our founder, Mathew Portell, was lucky...
09/29/2026

Preventing mental health concerns in young people should be everybody's business. Our founder, Mathew Portell, was lucky to be featured in the new documentary RAISING SUPERHEROES by Australian journalist and filmmaker Shannon Harvey (www.ShannonHarvey.com)!

The film explores one of the most critical questions of our time: Why are anxiety, depression, self-harm, and su***de increasing among young people, and what can we do about it?

From trauma-informed schools and community initiatives to innovative approaches to safety, connection, and wellbeing, RAISING SUPERHEROES offers a hopeful message: mental illness is not inevitable, and prevention is possible.

Join us at the premiere in Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne and be part of the conversation about what preventing mental illness can look like. The evening will feature Shannon Harvey, Prevention United CEO Suzanne Dick, and other special guests involved in the prevention movement.

šŸŽˆ Brisbane Premiere: Held as part of the Australian Trauma Aware Education Conference (everyone is welcome!): https://lnkd.in/gPKy3XgJ

šŸŽ¬ Watch the trailer: https://lnkd.in/guYDhrgG

šŸŽŸļø Discounted tickets available below:
ā€¢ Sydney: https://lnkd.in/gTgEcNYv
ā€¢ Melbourne: https://lnkd.in/gbNXKvpa
ā€¢ Brisbane: https://lnkd.in/gEiifjcU

Come curious. Leave hopeful.

09/25/2026

ITā€™S OFFICIALLY BOOK RELEASE DAY! šŸŽ‰

I am beyond thrilled to share that our new book, "Culturally Responsive Tier 3 Interventions for Elementary Students: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Leaders" (published by Teachers College Press!), is out in the world today! šŸ“šāœØ

When we talk about Tier 3 interventions, weā€™re talking about the students who need our highest level of tailored support. But intensive intervention should never mean one-size-fits-all. Every child brings unique cultural strengths, background knowledge, and lived experiences into the classroom that must shape how we support them.

This guide was written to give educators and school leaders actionable, research-backed strategies to build equitable, highly effective Tier 3 systems that honor and center who our students are.

Whether youā€™re a classroom teacher, interventionist, specialist, or administratorā€”this book was written for you and your team.

Thank you to everyone who supported this journey, especially the team at Teachers College Press!

šŸ‘‰ Grab your copy today: https://www.tcpress.com/products/culturally-responsive-tier-3-interventions-for-elementary-students_9780807784563

Dr. Tyisha Noise Dr. Jaime E. Welborn Julie Kurtz Raul Alarcon Julie Nicholson Angela James, Ph.D.

Come join us for collaboration and learning! Harvard Education PressMathew Portell
09/24/2026

Come join us for collaboration and learning!

Harvard Education Press
Mathew Portell

šŸ’¬ "Todayā€™s session really helped to build foundational understanding of important aspects of trauma invested schools tha...
09/22/2026

šŸ’¬ "Todayā€™s session really helped to build foundational understanding of important aspects of trauma invested schools that will lead to our district building stronger supports for students and staff." ā€” Eric, School Administrator

Grounding our schools and organizations in trauma-informed practices isn't a checklistā€”it's how we build spaces where both students and staff truly thrive.

Want to bring practical, human-centered professional learning to your team?

šŸ”¹ Keynotes & Interactive Workshops
šŸ”¹ District & School-Wide Professional Learning
šŸ”¹ Leadership & Systems Coaching

šŸ“„ Send a direct message or visit to discuss how the Trauma Informed Educators Network can support your school, district, or organization.

09/17/2026

Standing outside NKCES (Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services) today, feeling deeply grateful for the meaningful work happening inside. Supporting schools through organizational change and embedding trauma-informed practices isn't always easy, but creating safe, supportive environments where both students and educators can truly thrive makes every step worth it. šŸ’™

Hereā€™s to the dedicated educators doing the heart-work every day.

šŸŽ‰ Big news! Iā€™m so excited to share that our new book, Culturally Responsive Tier 3 Interventions for Elementary Student...
09/15/2026

šŸŽ‰ Big news! Iā€™m so excited to share that our new book, Culturally Responsive Tier 3 Interventions for Elementary Students, is officially out in the world on September 25, 2026! šŸ“šāœØ

This project is deeply personal to me, as the photo next to me in this picture is the graduation announcement of a student who taught me far more than I could ever teach him. Itā€™s because of my time with himā€”and the lessons he gave me every single dayā€”that I was able to contribute meaningfully to this resource.

Culturally responsive, high-intensity support isn't just about strategy; itā€™s about genuinely seeing, honoring, and learning from the young people in front of us. My hope is that this book serves as a practical, heart-centered guide for educators doing the crucial work of supporting our elementary learners who need it most.

A massive thank you to my amazing co-authors, colleagues, and every student who continues to be our greatest teacher.

Grab your copy today!

Teachers College Press

I recently shared the article from The Principal's Desk, a large Facebook group for principals, about the vilification o...
08/14/2026

I recently shared the article from The Principal's Desk, a large Facebook group for principals, about the vilification of school leadership that hit uncomfortably close to home. It talked about how principals are often vilifiedā€”cast as the bad guy in many stories, the faceless bureaucracy in every disagreement, or the convenient target when things go wrong, and as the one unable to meet "my expectations" when trying to meet every expectation from everyone all the time.

What that article didn't capture is everything that happens behind closed doors.

People don't see the silent crises managed before the morning bell rings. They don't see the legal boundaries, budget constraints, confidential personnel issues, or regulatory hoops that shape every difficult decision. They don't see the sheer weight of responsibility required to run a school safely every single day.

When you break down the math, the reality of this job is staggering. In my building, I lead 80 employees and care for 600 students. Between staff, kids, and the parents or guardians behind every single student, that is easily over 1,000 different people whose needs, hopes, and expectations land on my desk every day. Everyone deserves representation. Everyone wants what is best. But those 1,000+ expectations often directly conflict with one another.

And guess what? Sometimes we come up short.

I have made decisions that disappointed people. I have made calls I wished I could reframe. In a role where every choice is scrutinized under a microscope, perfection is an illusion.

After years in this seat, it would be extraordinarily easy to become calloused and jaded. It would be easy to build up a wall, turn off the empathy, and just manage the building like a corporate office. But I refuse to lead that way.

Instead of letting the weight harden me, I choose to let it refine me. I choose to remain focused and driven. Every single student, teacher, and family in our community deserves a leader who shows up with fire, purpose, and compassionā€”even on the hardest days.

To my fellow administrators out there carrying the invisible heavy lifting: I see you. Keep choosing purpose over cynicism. Our kids are worth it.

Mathew Portell



This photo was not taken at night but in the morning, when most are still fast asleep...

Save the date! Is not often the stars align and my childhood area and my current professional world collide, but they a...
08/14/2026

Save the date! Is not often the stars align and my childhood area and my current professional world collide, but they are in November!

Our new book Culturally Responsive Tier 3 Interventions for Elementary Schools published by Teachers College Press is being released in the fall and thereā€™s a celebration and signing at St. Louis University on November 5, 2026!

I hope to see some familiar faces from ā€œhome!ā€

Mathew Portell

Tyisha Noise
Julie Kurtz

08/01/2026

Coming back from a school break can feel hard for teachers and students alike.

Even when students do not say it directly, many missed the routines, relationships, encouragement, and sense of belonging they found in your classroom. Your presence matters more than you may realize.

What was one small sign that showed your students were happy to be back?

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