Chisago Lakes Schools

CHISAGO LAKES HIGH SCHOOL

Crisis Post-Vention Plan

Updated January 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BUILDING TEAM MEMBERS 1

CHECKLIST FOR RESPONDING TO A CRISIS 2

PRINCIPAL CHECKLIST 7

CRISIS TEAM MEMBER CHECKLIST 8

TEACHER CHECKLIST 9

COUNSELOR CHECKLIST 10

DAYS AFTER CRISIS: COUNSELOR CHECKLIST 11

SAMPLE STATEMENT TO BE READ BY TEACHERS 12

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SUPPORT STAFF 12

SAMPLE LETTER TO PARENTS 13

ASSISTING STUDENTS AND PARENTS FOLLOWING A DEATH 15

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE CONTACT INFORMATION 16

2 3 Building Post-Vention Team Members

Principal: _Dave Ertl______Assoc. Principal _Sara Johnson______Counselors: _Amy Malloy, Amy Majerle, Canyon Schultz______School Nurse: _Jane Jacobson______Psychologist: _Jamie Nord______Other: _Marnee Jakowski (Support Staff Rep.), Dean Loehlein (Custodian Rep.), Police Liaison Officer, SPED Case manager (if needed)______

Central Counseling Area: _Guidance Office______Student Support Rooms: _To be determined______Staff Support Rooms: _Staff Lounge______

4 Checklist for Responding to a Crisis

To be maintained throughout the crisis

The purpose of this plan is to provide support to students, staff, parents and other members of the school community. Since every crisis is different, the principal will determine appropriate procedures and actions according to the needs of the situation.

I. Immediate Actions To be Taken

 Crisis Team Phone Tree initiated – Principal

 Convene the Crisis Team prior to the school staff meeting (or ASAP if the crisis occurs during the school day) - Principal

 Verify factual information regarding tragedy – Principal

 Contact police regarding special circumstances (i.e., shooting/suicide) and if the school needs additional security during night hours and/or on the day the plan is implemented – Principal

 Keep District Office (superintendent) informed – Principal

 Notify school staff (teachers, paraprofessionals, clerical, custodial and cafeteria personnel) of crisis – Principal - using at least one of the following methods: __ written notice __ telephone tree __ verbal communication

 Designate one person to be the central point of information and available throughout the crisis. All information and questions should go to that person – Principal

 Designate one person to communicate with media – Superintendent

II. Tasks of the Crisis Team

 Factual information regarding incident is shared with team – Principal

 Write an announcement or e-mail to be read by teachers to insure accurate dissemination of information - Principal and Crisis Team

 Determine the need for additional resource people (i.e. staff from other buildings, mental health providers, Youth Pastors).

 Prepare list of siblings and close friends (in the event of death or serious injury); notify schools where siblings and friends are attending.

5  Assign student support rooms for use by Crisis Team members to work with students: Available Rooms: Staff Member: ______

 Identify and brief substitute teachers; check in with subs to see how they are doing – Associate Principal

 Assign Crisis Team member to meet with student’s current and/or recent teachers, advisor, coaches, mentor, and case manager before and after school. Crisis Member/s assigned: ______

 Assign Crisis Team members to work with students individually and in groups. Crisis Member/s assigned: ______

 Assign staff or resource person to be available for support/information for staff in faculty lounge or other appropriate setting. Crisis Member assigned: ______

 Assign staff to provide outreach in halls. Crisis Members assigned: ______

 Assign staff to cover lunch periods. Crisis Members assigned: ______

 Provide support for clerical staff managing student traffic in the office and provide a script for telephone inquiries. Crisis Members assigned: ______

 Inform families of student’s closest friends - Counselors

 Assign team members to classrooms that may need a support person to assist with discussions and/or reading of announcement. Crisis Members assigned: ______

 Consider covering exit doors with available staff members (such as teachers on their prep periods) – Solicit volunteers at a.m. staff meeting if needed.

 Arrange for food and water for helping staff from cafeteria. Crisis Member assigned: ______

6  Prepare a letter to go home with students if needed – Principal

III. Before School All Staff Meeting

 Factual information regarding incident is shared with team – Principal

 Prepared statement will be distributed and discussed –teachers will be given the option of having a crisis team member read the statement in their class if uncomfortable.

 Notify teachers that a counselor will follow the students’ schedule and initiate a discussion in each class.

 Notify teachers of procedures to follow to get assistance for students including: __ making a list of students for counselors (send list to Guidance office) __ sending students to/from support rooms (if situation requires passes, have students accompanied by an adult or other student) __ facilitating classroom discussions

 The different kinds of responses that students may display will be discussed. These may include overt expression of shock, disbelief and crying. They may include masked expressions such as making jokes or other inappropriate behaviors. Some students may be unaffected. Share information on the cause of death only if parents or family have granted permission to do so. If the death is a suicide it is important to stress the fact that suicide is an unhealthy way to deal with stress, that there are other alternatives, and that the responsibility for the suicide lies with the person who killed him/herself. No one else is to blame, and no one could prevent the suicide. Teachers may choose to discuss the death with students or not.

 Following whatever discussion a teacher is comfortable having in class, business as usual may go on with the possible exception of postponing a major exam or something similar. It’s very important that the school setting be experienced by students as a stable environment.

 Alert staff to be watchful regarding outside media on school grounds. Chisago Lakes School Board policy prohibits outside media from interviewing students, without permission from District Communications or superintendent on school property.

 Students will be encouraged to stay in school where they can get counseling help as needed. In the event that a student wants to leave the school building, standard procedures for releasing students from school will be followed.

 Some students may be unable to spend the day at school for emotional or behavioral reasons. Staff members can recommend students to see their counselor regarding leaving for the day. Parents will be contacted by office personnel to pick up their student.

 Another staff meeting will be held at the end of the school day to allow everyone the opportunity to debrief and process the events of the day. It may be necessary to plan for the following day.

 Students who bring a written note from their parents will be excused to attend the funeral. Substitutes will be available for teachers who wish to attend. 7  The Crisis Team and/or outside resources will be available after school and into the evening on the day of the Post-Vention.

 Take note of those in attendance at staff meeting and assign resource person to contact and inform missing staff.

 Evaluate other special events occurring in the building and determine whether they should continue (include Activities Director).

IV. After School All Staff Meeting

 Distribute any pertinent information (i.e. hospital, funeral arrangements).

 Review facts of crisis and role of staff in responding to the crisis.

 Control rumors surrounding the crisis.

 Allow staff an opportunity to share their experiences and suggestions.

 Determine follow-up plan of action, which may include: o Student/staff attendance at memorials, rallies, or funeral. o School’s expression of sympathy to family. o Contingency plan for control of students in upcoming days. o Identification of students possibly in need of further intervention, and procedure to access those services.

V. After School Crisis Team Meeting

 Debrief regarding response plan effectiveness; suggest improvements.

 Designate personnel to provide follow-up intervention.

 Contact parents of seriously distraught students and give them information on available resources.

 Inform parents about reactions they might expect from students and actions they could take.

 Determine need for continued involvement of Crisis Team.

VI. Responding to Media and Community

 Identify a spokesperson (superintendent, principal, associate principal) to remain in a specified area for easy access.

 Set time/location limits for media (set up off-school site, if possible). 8  Provide handouts of planned school activities to handle the loss/crisis. Emphasize positive action being taken.

 Divert phone calls of concern and questions to appropriate staff.

VII. Bus Consideration

 Get a list of all students who ride the victim’s bus.

 Identify bus driver and communicate facts of the case to the driver.

 Establish a plan for addressing the needs of students on the bus (treating the bus as an additional classroom).

 Contact families of bus students, as appropriate.

VIII. Memorial Service/Special Activities

 Inquire as to the wishes of the family in regard to gifts or bequests.

 Permit students and staff to attend services or funeral. (Student participation in funeral services will be permitted with parent or guardian approval or participation.)

 Counsel students in funeral attendance - for many, this could be their first funeral.

 Have a designated person attend the visitation and funeral; communicate that person’s plans to other staff in case they wish to also attend in person’s company.

 Provide an area for staff and students who do not wish to attend special in-school activities.

 Encourage people to use the formal funeral service for memorials and communication with the family.

 Appropriate school memorials may include: book in library, scholarships, yearbook dedication or other carefully evaluated activity. Be careful and sensitive about all personal messages to the family. Avoid memorials that might inadvertently reinforce inappropriate behaviors (i.e. memorials that glorify or endorse suicide). Students should only sign cards and not add written comments.

9 PRINCIPAL CHECKLIST

The principal will:

 Initiate the building phone tree.

 Decide if the school needs additional security during the night hours and/or on the day the plan is implemented.

 Consider covering exit doors with available staff members (such as teachers on their prep period)

 Decide which rooms will be available for use by Crisis Team members.

 Convene the Crisis Team prior to the school staff meeting.

 Convene the before-school all staff meeting.

 Prepare a letter to go home with students if needed (see attached sample).

 Convene an all staff meeting after school.

 Designate person to communicate with media.

 Take phone calls from parents or delegate that responsibility.

 Provide time at a staff meeting sometime after the event, for feedback, suggestions, etc., about the event and how it was handled.

 Be available to visit the family of the person involved in the crisis along with one or more members of the Crisis Team and any other appropriate staff members (i.e. a student's classroom teacher).

 Keep staff updated on events and circumstances.

 Identify staff in need of support services.

 Emphasize need to provide facts in order to reduce rumors.

 Be highly visible to show presence, support and control of situation.

 Make arrangements for excused absences for students wishing to attend the funeral.

 Make arrangements for rescheduling standardized testing programs or other canceled activities.

 Maintain log of all calls and actions taken.

10 CRISIS TEAM MEMBER CHECKLIST

The Crisis Team members will:

 Attend all staff meetings.

 Be prepared to: - staff a Student Support Room - see students individually - reach out to vulnerable students - provide information and support to staff and each other - provide support for clerical staff managing student traffic in the office.

 Assist with debriefing at the after-school meeting.

 Be prepared to rotate through the Student Support Room, Staff Support Room, office, and classrooms as may be needed throughout the day, after school and into the evening if necessary.

 Monitor high-risk students for several weeks.

11 TEACHER CHECKLIST

Teachers:

 Will attend before-school staff meeting.

 Will read prepared statement of facts to the class.

 May continue with business as usual after reading the statement and discussing the situation with students to the degree they are comfortable. Keep routines as normal as possible.

 Acknowledge emotions through discussion and involvement in constructive activities in the classroom (as needed). Consult with crisis team member.

 Postpone and reschedule tests as needed.

 May request a member of the Crisis Team to come into classroom and help facilitate discussion of the situation.

 May allow the opportunity for students to discuss the situation and share their feelings.

 May excuse or send a student to a Student Support Room or a specific Crisis Team member at any time during the day. Teachers are encouraged to refer students who for emotional or behavior reasons appear unable to spend the day at school.

 May consult with Crisis Team member available in the faculty lounge to exchange information, and obtain support during the school day and after school.

 Will attend after-school staff meeting.

 May request sub coverage in order to attend a funeral.

 Refer to the principal, any contacts or inquiries by attorneys, media, social services, or other outside individuals or agencies.

12 COUNSELOR CHECKLIST Counselors will:  Attend all staff meetings.  Be prepared to: - staff a Student Support Room - see students individually - reach out to vulnerable students - provide information and support to staff and each other - provide support for clerical staff managing student traffic in the office  Assist with debriefing at the after-school meeting.  Be prepared to rotate through Student Support Rooms, Staff Support Room, office, and classrooms as needed throughout the day, after school and into the evening if necessary.  Monitor high-risk students for several weeks.  Establish an expanded area for grief counseling (individual and group).  Reschedule day’s activities depending upon the needs of the school. Cancel appointments and meetings that are not of an emergency nature.  Identify individuals who can work with groups or individuals.  Maintain a list of students counseled by whom and frequency.  Make follow-up calls to parents of students in distress and make recommendations for the parents to provide support.  Collect and review school records. (Review pupil record policies related to release of information.)  Collect and review personal items of deceased from lockers and desks (with witness, as soon as possible). Suggestion: leave texts and other non-personal items.  Establish plan for dealing with empty personal space that the student would have occupied (i.e. seat, desk, locker).  Stop any disciplinary, scholarship, testing, progress reports, or special placement notifications that my inadvertently be sent to the family.  Inform staff that all written communication to the family should be submitted to the principal/Crisis Team for review.  Contact family. Select staff person who will: __ personally contact family and offer support. __ obtain information regarding funeral visitation, home visits, food/flowers, names of surviving siblings and schools. (Be sensitive to the wishes of the families.)

13 DAYS AFTER CRISIS: COUNSELOR CHECKLIST

Counselors will:  Continue to monitor at-risk students identified by counselors, teachers or staff monitoring support rooms  Stay in contact with at risk students’ families (parents), offer resources from referral list  Recommend students for debriefing groups  Collect any current work of the deceased student from his/her teachers  Contact parents of deceased to ask if they would like to be a part of cleaning out the locker and to pick up any school work or cards/posters students have made  Order a Memorial Package through Life Touch (if appropriate)  Attend funeral  Check in with teachers identified as needing help with the grief process  Recommend teachers for debriefing groups  Have packets/brochures regarding grief available to students, parents and staff

14 SAMPLE STATEMENT TO BE READ BY TEACHERS

It is with deep regret that we inform you that ______(Student or Staff) has died (specific date). We are profoundly saddened by ______'s death. Our hearts and our support go out to his/her family and friends.

Dealing with the death of a person who is close to us is never easy. We strongly urge you to make use of the resources available at school today to deal with your own feelings. It's hard to know what to do or what to say but it may be helpful to share your feelings of loss and grief. You may want to talk with your counselor or someone else on the staff that you feel close to. You may check in at ______and they will help you find a place to meet and talk. There will be additional resource people in the building to help us all with our feelings about this death."

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SUPPORT STAFF

Script to be created by Crisis Team members

15 SAMPLE LETTERS TO PARENTS

Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s):

As you know, we have had a tragedy involving a Chisago Lakes student in the past few weeks. Our school community is deeply saddened by this event. It is our sincere wish to be able to respond to the various needs of our students, staff and community in whatever way possible. While we recognize that there is no consensus on the correct way to respond, please be assured that we are doing everything possible to help in an appropriate manner.

To date, we have attempted to provide support to the students in the following ways:

1. Announcements have been made to staff and student body giving factual information, as well as information about support services available in school.

2. Support personnel from within and outside the school have been made available to meet with groups and individuals during the school day. These personnel include: guidance counselors, chemical health coordinator, school psychologist, administrators, a variety of clergymen, and Community Agency Staff. Counselors from several other agencies have volunteered services and are involved with students.

3. In many cases, personal contacts have been made directly to parents and outside agencies as necessary.

4. All support personnel have continued to be in contact with each other to coordinate efforts and to operate in an efficient manner.

We urge all parents who have concerns about other students that may repeat this tragedy to call us at school, or to refer their concern to an appropriate resource agency.

Enclosed is a list of referral sources for your possible use. Also refer to the other enclosed handouts for information regarding warning signs and interventions.

We extend our sympathy to all students and parents affected by this tragedy, and we share this sorrow. We also wish to assure all parents that despite recent events, we are continuing to provide an ongoing educational program in the best manner possible.

Sincerely,

Principal

16 Date

Dear Parent/Guardians:

I am saddened to inform you that one of our students, ______, has died. The effect on all of us has been one of sadness. In response to this news, we have brought in resource people from around the district to assist in dealing with the students' sense of loss and grief. These people have implemented a support system to assist students who need to talk about this loss.

Our staff is available to assist you. If you desire information about additional resources our student services staff is available to assist you. Please call the school at ______.

For tomorrow and the days following, we will be especially aware of students who need to share their feelings. We will provide opportunities either inside or outside the classroom for students to express those feelings. At the same time, their lives and ours must go on despite the sorrow and loss we feel over this tragic event so classes will continue as scheduled.

Sincerely,

Principal

17 ASSISTING STUDENTS AND PARENTS FOLLOWING A DEATH

Students should have the opportunity to talk about their feelings about the death of their classmate. We encourage such expressions by having numerous helping professionals in the building for several days following the death of a student. After that, the school's own helping professionals are available for individual or group work with grieving students. Helping professionals from other buildings around the district remain on call to assist whenever needed.

Teachers are encouraged to discuss with their students any feelings students have regarding the death.

Teachers are also encouraged to provide a stable and caring environment in which students can recognize that life continues and that school is a safe place to be.

If a student chooses to attend memorial and/or funeral services parent presence is strongly recommended.

In an attempt to act responsibly with regard to students at risk, we make it a practice not to have large-group memorial services or assemblies that deal with the death of the student. The rationale here is that students who are depressed, isolated, or otherwise emotionally unstable may be impressed with the amount of adulation paid to the deceased classmate and feel as though death may bring them the recognition they desire from their peers. The same rationale will be considered in the event that a memorial area develops within the school (e.g. around the student’s locker). Consideration will be given to what will be most helpful to the greatest number of students in the school as well as to students who are considered to be at risk.

For a variety of reasons, permanent memorials such as plaques, trees, works of art, portraits, etc. are no longer accepted by the district. We encourage memorial money to be given elsewhere.