Perspectives on School Crisis Response

Reflections from the Field

Jeffrey C. Roth, Benjamin S. Fernandez, Jeffrey C. Roth, Benjamin S. Fernandez

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781315301457
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education Counseling

This book offers a unique collection of narrative case studies that capture the responses of mental health professionals to tragedies in schools and are designed to connect key concepts and skills with real life application. By citing evidence-based theories and interventions with vivid real world accounts, this volume aims to highlight the multi-phased, multi-disciplinary nature of school crisis response while emphasizing the need for effective coordination and collaboration. It provides a powerful professional development resource for school crisis teams, psychologists, counselors, social workers, nurses, resource officers, administrators and teachers, and training university students, who will face similar situations.

Section 1

School Crisis Response to Transportation Accidents

INTRODUCTION

What a pleasant surprise when I learned that our daughter Leah, a talented second year high school English teacher, was coming after work to our house for dinner. Traffic was unusually “backed up”, but she would soon join Carol and me. After dinner and conversation about her teaching, she prepared to leave our house. Then the cell phone call came. Traffic had been “backed up” because of a horrible accident. Eleventh graders, a teenage boy and girl were killed. The boy was a current student of Leah’s; the girl had been her student the previous year. Through her tears she said, “We told him not to speed. We told him to slow down.” It was hard to see my daughter experience the kind of pain I had often seen as a school crisis team leader. Leah and I talked. I gave her some literature. She got back on the phone with another colleague and they talked for a long time. I think that helped the most (Roth, 2015).

The suddenness of serious injury or death resulting from transportation accidents can be devastating for a school community. The circumstances of the incident and extent of the impact on students and staff determine the necessary level of crisis response. See book “Introduction”, Elements of Response to a School Crisis.

School Bus Accidents and Safety

A school bus accident may be defined as any event that results in damage to the bus and/or injury to the driver or passengers. While death is rare, nearly 1000 students per year suffer accident-related passenger injuries. Injuries and fatalities also happen when students are walking to and from a school bus. Pedestrians killed by school buses are often small children on their way home (Srednicki, 2004).

Poor judgment or disruptive behavior by students can distract drivers, who often report being overwhelmed by students’ lack of respect and failure to follow rules and regulations. Students, parents, educators, and community members must be aware of school bus related risks and work to prevent accidents. Motorists must know and obey regulations about driving near school buses and drop-off zones. Safety programs include “Operation School Bus Safety” or “Be Cool. Follow the Rules” (Srednicki, 2004).

School Bus Safety Rules and Accident Procedures

On the way to the bus:

• Be alert—arrive at your stop at least five minutes early.

• Always obey all traffic lights and signals.

• Plan to walk with schoolmates whenever possible, facing traffic.

• Always cross streets at crosswalks and intersections.

• Look both ways before crossing the street.

At the bus stop:

• Stand back from the curb.

• Do not push when entering or exiting the bus and always use steps and handrail.

• Always obey bus driver and wait for the driver’s signal before crossing street.

• Always cross at least 10 feet in front of the school bus.

• Never, never crawl under the bus.

When riding the bus:

• Take your seat quietly and quickly—remain seated when the bus is moving.

• Keep feet on the floor (if they reach).

• Never extend your hands, arms, head, or any object out the bus window.

• Talk in a quiet voice, be polite to the driver and schoolmates, and avoid misbehavior that might distract the driver.

Source: Adapted from Srednicki, 2004

In the event of a bus accident:

• Fire Marshal or law enforcement is generally in charge at the scene.

• School administrator should designate a school leader and proceed to the scene.

• Record names of students on the bus, where they sat (if possible), and current status, accounting for all students—report list back to school leader and nurse.

• Stay calm and reassure students.

• Depending on severity of the event, and especially if there are fatalities or serious injuries, mobilize the blended school and district crisis response teams.

• If mobilization of crisis team is necessary, proceed with trained procedures for response to a sudden traumatic event.

• District transportation should send a second bus to the scene to bring screened, triaged students deemed okay for return to school.

• Phone to tell school nurse names of any students being transported to hospital(s), and destination if known.

• Accompany injured students to hospital—if more than one hospital, send a staff member who is familiar with students to each hospital.

• Using emergency cards, contact parents/guardians of the injured and give directions to hospital—notify district transportation if a family needs a ride.

• Meet arriving family members, guide to waiting area, and provide information and support as needed.

• Maintain contact with the school and district offices.

• Prepare to evaluate bus passengers returning to school—escort to school nurse to be checked for injury and possible referral to hospital emergency room.

• School counselor, school psychologist, and other responders evaluate emotional status and provide counseling support if needed.

• If information about the accident is spreading by cell phones and causing concern at school, provide a brief report of incident and help being provided at the scene.

• Arrange phone contact with parents/guardians of passengers evaluated at school:

– provide caller with outline of information to be conveyed, including brief description of the event and status of the individual child;

– if follow-up medical care is indicated, school nurse should make contact;

– document time of call, caller’s name and person contacted.

• Teachers should be informed at a reasonable time by administrator/designee about the status of their students, and be provided support if student is injured or deceased.

• Suggestions for working with concerned parents/guardians arriving at school:

– identify a comfortable location to accommodate parents/guardians;

– establish a sign-out procedure for uninjured students;

– when concerned parent/guardian comes to school inquiring about child, refer to list of uninjured, injured, or deceased students if available, and if confirmed “uninjured” might say “Your child is not injured” and direct to pick-up location to be reunited with child and leave school;

– parent/guardian of hospitalized or deceased child should be directed to a private location for information, emotional support, and escort to hospital.

• Consider sending a letter home with affected students summarizing the event, the school’s response, and a contact number if there are concerns—consider a follow-up phone call for parents/guardians of injured students unavailable to deliver the letter, documenting all contacts.

• If the event creates the likelihood that passengers will be anxious about riding the bus, assign a supportive staff member to ride on at least the next trip and assess need for further bus or counseling support.

• Depending on event severity, consider a before/after school staff meeting to:

– provide current status of students sent to hospitals, if any;

– acknowledge efforts by teachers, school nurse, and other support staff;

– provide opportunity for questions and processing staff reactions;

– ask staff to identify students or staff in need of emotional support—remind staff about help options, including Employee Assistance Program.

Source: Adapted from Crisis Response Manual and Guidelines, Brandywine S. D., DE.

Car Accidents and Prevention

Car accidents can result in death and serious injury to children, adolescents, and sometimes families. The suddenness and unexpected nature of these tragedies intensifies the emotional reaction of the school community.

A lack of mature judgment and driving experience puts teenagers at greater risk for accidents, but that risk is multiplied many times by drinking alcohol, speeding, and/or using drugs. While the percentage of teens in high school who drink and drive has decreased by more than half since 1991, more needs to be done. Nearly one million high school teenagers drank alcohol and drove in 2011. Teenage drivers are three times more likely than more experienced drivers to be in a fatal car crash. Young drivers, aged 16–20, are 17 times more likely to die in a car crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. However, research has demonstrated that there are proven steps that can help protect the lives of young drivers and everyone who rides or shares the road with them (CDC, 2012).

What works to prevent teen accidents and specifically, drinking and driving:

• Parental involvement—monitoring and restricting what new drivers are allowed to do as they learn to drive. Parents who establish and enforce “rules of the road”, which can include creating and signing a parent-teen driving agreement report lower rates of risky driving, traffic violations, and crashes.

• Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems help new drivers gain experience under less risky conditions—teens move through stages, gradually getting privileges such as driving at night or driving with passengers.

• Increasing teen and parent awareness of risky behavior through community effort.

• Minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) makes it illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age.

• Zero tolerance laws make it illegal for those under 21 years of age to drive after drinking any alcohol.

• Strengthening enforcement of policies such as minimum legal drinking age, zero tolerance laws, and graduated driver licensing systems.

Source: Adapted from CDC, 2012

School nurses, counselors, pediatricians, and other health professionals can:

• Screen teens for risky behaviors, including:

– using alcohol, drugs, or other substances;

– driving after alcohol or drug use;

– riding with a driver who has been using alcohol or drugs;

– driving at excessive speeds, or not slowing for poor driving conditions.

• Educate parents and teens about driving risks and especially drinking and driving.

• Encourage parents of new teen drivers to set and enforce “rules of the road” and consider parent-teen driving agreements.

• Remind parents to set an example as safe drivers, before their child is driving.

Source: Adapted from CDC, 2012

Parents of teenage drivers can:

• Understand that most teens who drink want to get drunk.

• Recognize the danger of drinking and driving—that teen drivers are at significantly greater risk of crashing after drinking alcohol.

• Provide teens with a safe way to get home, such as picking them up or paying for a cab, if their driver has been drinking.

• Model safe dr...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• About the Editors
• About the Contributors
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments and Dedications
• Introduction: Perspectives on School Crisis Response
• Section 1 School Crisis Response to Transportation Accidents
• Section 2 School Crisis Response to Death of a Student
• Section 3 School Crisis Response to Death of a Teacher/Staff Member
• Section 4 School Crisis Response to Death by Suicide
• Section 5 School Crisis Response to Natural Disasters
• Section 6 School Crisis Response to School-Related Violence
• Section 7 School Crisis Response to Child Maltreatment
• Section 8 School Crisis Response: Current and Future Directions
• Index