Taking time to prepare a protocol to address crisis situations before they happen can help school communities cope with serious problems.
Nobody likes to talk about it, but the fact is that crisis situations can and do occur at schools. How well the school is prepared to handle the situation can make a huge difference in how the students deal with the issues in both the short and long term.
There are any number of issues and events that can fall into the “crisis” category. For example, some of these situations can occur: the death of a student, the death of a student’s parent or sibling, a parent or teacher is arrested, a student is diagnosed with a terminal disease, and the list goes on. It is important to note from the beginning that there is no ‘one size fits all’ kind of crisis management plan available because each situation requires special handling. However, there are some common strategies that schools should have ready to use at a moment’s notice should disaster strike.
How are Middle School Students Affected?
Middle school students seem to be the hardest hit when a crisis occurs. Perhaps because they themselves are struggling so mightily to manage their own emotional issues, having something bad happen to a friend or adult can be overwhelming for some. Keeping this in mind, middle school educators should take some time to write and agree to a common plan that can be initiated when a crisis occurs. While there are numerous excellent books and brochures available on the subject, it is still prudent to have the discussions that address crisis planning among the full staff so that everyone invests in the process.
When drafting a school’s crisis management plan, having broad participation is advisable. Among those present should be the principal, the counselor, the coaches, and as many teachers and substitutes as possible. Some schools also involve parents and community leaders in these discussions.
When finished, every member of the school community should have a copy of the crisis management plan. One of the worst things that can happen after a crisis event is the perception that some people (usually the administration) have all the information and are keeping things from everyone else. The more open and honest the crisis management plan is, the less likely it is that some persons will feel left out of the loop.
There Might be Some Secrets
That being said, it should be clearly stated in the crisis management plan somewhere right at the beginning that it is entirely possible there will be certain facts and details that must have to be kept in confidence by the principal or the counselor because of confidentiality issues. Many times there are family issues that need to be shared with the school, but not with everyone at the school. If everyone understands from the start that one of the duties of an administrator or counselor is to be able to handle sensitive information, nobody’s feelings should be hurt. More often than not, the information is shared with the larger community when the time is right and the affected family is ready.
