When Tragedy Strikes A Community, Young Students Are Effected

WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, WHO IS THINKING ABOUT THE EFFECT ON OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL?

TRAGIC EVENT: In Erie, Pennsylvania, a 29 yr old man shot and killed a 27 yr old woman and their two daughters (ages 4 and 7) in his home before killing himself.

Who in Erie County has considered the effects of these deaths upon their fellow school children? Who in a community coordinates with schools when a tragedy outside of school occurs? What about the students who know the young girls that were killed? Reacting to a community tragedy and determining the impact upon your student population immediately puts a school leadership team into the RECOVERY PHASE of the Emergency Management Process.

Post Tragedy Intervention For a School /School District:

• Designate someone to track incidents which occur that could effect our young students.
• Have that designee discuss the incident with school leadership and the guidance department and school psychologist to develop a strategy for crisis counseling.
• Identify and solicit for students effected by the tragedy to determine the scale and scope
• Review the resources available for counseling those students designated as requiring counseling.
• Develop counseling courses of action:
• Individual student counseling 
• Group or class counseling 
• Class Discussion with scripted counseling points
• School Announcement or Assembly
• Memorial Service

Someone needs to be looking out for the students when tragedy (fires, violence, accidents, crimes, etc.)  occurs in our communities. What are we doing for them when they come to school?