Pre- Planning: Things to Consider Before a Tragedy

Both as you pre-plan and as you work through a tragedy, consider the following practices and what they will look like within your district:

Pre-Planning: Things to Consider Before a Tragedy or Crisis

1. Crisis Response Plan

• Develop and regularly update district crisis response plan.
• Include roles, responsibilities, and step-by-step protocols.
• Ensure alignment with district policies and local emergency services.             

2. Crisis Response Team (CRT)

• Identify and train members (admin, counselors, nurses, etc.).
• Include contacts for regional/state crisis support teams.
• Conduct annual training and practice drills.

3. Communication Plan

• Establish internal and external communication protocols.
• Pre-approve templates for emails, phone calls, and social media.
• Designate a spokesperson and clarify media policies.

4. Staff Training

• Provide regular professional development on trauma-informed practices, grief response, and student/staff mental health.
• Train all staff (including support roles) in basic response expectations.

5. Mental Health & Counseling Resources

• Identify available resources: in-school, districtwide, and community partners.
• Establish clear procedures for activating the Regional School Crisis Response Team.

6. Memorial and Recognition Guidelines

• Create a written policy on how the school handles memorials and remembrances to ensure equity and sustainability.

7. Family & Community Partnerships

• Build relationships with local mental health providers, faith-based organizations, and crisis agencies before a tragedy occurs.

8. Documentation & Templates

• Prepare forms, scripts, checklists, and signage in advance (e.g., honor board setup guide, condolence letter templates, etc.).

9. Student Support Planning

• Develop a system for identifying and supporting students most at risk of being impacted by crises.

10. Building Access & Safety Protocols

• Review procedures for building access during emergencies and after-hours events.
• Ensure clarity on lockdown/evacuation/relocation protocols in crisis scenarios.

Post-tragedy Response: Practices to Consider

1. Calling the Response Team

• Include in district policy as a prompt to activate collaborative support immediately following a tragedy.

2. Temporary Honor Board

• Set up a space with a photo, name, and poster for messages. Place in a common area on day one, notify staff/students of purpose and timeline, and review content before sharing with the family.

3. Memorial Policy

• Establish a clear, equitable policy for honoring deceased students or staff. Consider sustainability and alternatives to physical memorials (e.g., refer to foundation or community groups).

4. Tragedy Outside School Hours

• During breaks or weekends, maintain communication with staff and families. Consider opening the school for support services if needed.

5. Media Access

• Do not allow media access to school or staff. Any media briefings should occur off-campus.
• If posting on social media, turn off comment section.

6. Returning Students

• Provide a card for well wishes in the office for peers to sign. Set a deadline for delivery to the family or student.

7. Student’s Desk/Locker

• Leave untouched for the first week. The following week, remove and rearrange the space after hours.

8. Existing Work

• Continue to display artwork, projects, decorations through normal rotation. Return items to the family once taken down.

9. Student Portal

• Download any work or information related to the student which may be needed in the future and then take student out of the system to prevent them from being marked absent.

10. Individual Belongings

• Offer the family the option to collect items after school or have staff pack them up, depending on their preference.

Staff

Tara Lindstrom, Senior Director Education Services

Aubrie Hoover, Regional School Crisis Response Team Coordinator

Contact the Regional School Crisis Response Team
Call: (218) 748-7618