Adoption Date: January 14, 2008 / Revision Date(s): / Page 1 of 2
BUILDING CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM
- Clear and secure area:
- Immediately try to move students into a safe area.
- Secure the personal belongings of student and staff if possible.
- Clear all traffic out of the hallways/between buildings, etc. as soon as possible.
- Contact:
- Police of appropriate
- Ambulance if appropriate
- Parents or guardians
- Superintendent of Schools
- Other area crisis response teams as needed
- Notify staff immediately with specific information:
- Use telephone tree at night, weekend or summer
- Staff meeting
- Notify Students:
- Individual classrooms or special groupings (customize your announcement for the particular group)
- Be factual. If you are not sure of something, then say that you do not yet know. Anything that you say will be assumed to be fact.
- Answer questions truthfully and factually.
- Intercom announcement (only of the general information is already known)
- Notify anyone who might not be in the building
- Do not assume that everyone knows.
- Notify staff and students:
- When the Crisis Response Team is available.
- That school counselors are available
- Provide Outreach to other schools that are affected:
- The administrator should attempt to contact the superintendent of the other affected school(s).
- Give only factual information that is verified.
- Speak only with a certified school administrator.
- Make a record of the conversation as soon as practical.
BUILDING CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM (Cont.)
- Response to media request:
- Escort media representatives to an office.
- Defer questions to a member of Administration (one administrator should be designated as the central point of contact for all media)
- Maintain a record of incoming and outgoing phone calls and personal contacts regarding the crisis (one team member should maintain this record- a computer located by the designated telephone is helpful)
- DO NOT allow free access to buildings or students
- Provide family outreach:
- Provide acknowledgment and support as determined by Building Crisis Team
- Insure that all information is factual
- Plan faculty meeting to debrief/evaluate at the end of the day with staff and all counselors:
- Identify staff and students that need additional support
- Review the days events
- Provide factual information
- Provide support as needed the following day or days after crisis:
- Contact parents or guardians
- Make referral for further counseling
- Open the school on Saturday or Sunday if required to continue counseling with students.
- Building administrator, in conjunction with the counselor, will determine if weekend counseling is advised. This may be especially appropriate if the crisis situation occurs on a Friday.
- Counselors and other Crisis Team members should be available. Let the trained and certified counselors do the counseling. Administrators provide support.
- The school should become the community center for managing the crisis and providing counseling services to the students.
- Provide ongoing crisis specific information:
- The biggest cause or hysteria is rumor/misinformation. Squelch rumors.
- Establish a procedure for verifying all information before releasing to anyone.
M. Express appreciation to all persons and agencies that helped to resolve the crisis.