This presentation will explore the neural underpinnings of stress and trauma in children and their impact on learning. Environmental deprivation, poverty, childhood abuse, witnessing violence, and pandemics can impact both cognitive and social-emotional development in children. There will be a discussion on five steps schools can take to become more "trauma-informed." Targeted assessment strategies, specific classroom accommodations, and school-based interventions will be presented as students return to school from the recent pandemic. Schools can enhance emotional wellness through early prevention efforts, appropriate assessment and screening techniques, and an improved school climate to foster emotional growth for all children. This session is aligned with the Behavior and Connection to Family and School Climate components of the TEA-required self-assessment.