Resources & Tools for School Crisis Response
Again this week we have been faced with a horrific reminder that the schools we send our children to each day, the schools where the educators and support staff we depend on show up every morning, are not safe. The impact will spread far beyond the immediate communities where they occurred. Students, educators, families, and entire school communities across the country are feeling the stress and fear. Moving forward is not going to be easy, and we won’t be able to do it without each other.
“We must acknowledge that the process for healing and responding to this kind of collective trauma is not a job for the few, but a job for us all.”
In this spirit, Turnaround staff has gathered resources from experts in the field, along with select free resources from the Turnaround for Children Toolbox. These resources can be a part of starting the process of talking about the event and supporting student mental health on the pathway to healing.
From Experts and Advocates
National Association of School Psychologists
- “Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers”
- “Responding to School Violence: Tips for Administrators”
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Mass Violence Resources, including:
- “Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth After the Recent Shooting: Fact Sheet”
- “Assisting Parents/Caregivers in Coping with Collective Traumas”
- “Coping after Mass Violence: Fact Sheet”
- School Shooting Resources, including:
- “Psychological First Aid for Schools (PFA-S) Field Operations Guide”
- “Talking to Children about the Shooting: Tip Sheet”
- “Helping Youth After Community Trauma: Tips for Educators”
Everytown for Gun Safety
- Students Demand Action: Resources for student activists committed to ending gun violence in our communities:
Sandy Hook Promise Learning Center
Educators, students, and parents can access trainings, resources, and curriculum for the following Sandy Hook Promise programs at no cost:
- Start With Hello program for grades K-12
- Say Something program for grades 4-12
- Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) program for grades 6-12
From Turnaround’s Toolbox
Resources for Educators & Students:
Guidance for all School Staff
- Universal Supports Following a Crisis: Guidance for Leaders
- Universal Supports Following a Crisis: Guidance for Teachers
- Universal Supports Following a Crisis: Guidance for Student Support Staff
Tools for Students Managing Stress
- A lesson plan for co-developing stress management strategies, including:
- “Stress Management Plan”
- “Box Breath”
- “Memory Game”
- “Head, Heart, Hands”
Resources for School Crisis Teams:
- School Crisis Plan: Rationale
- Step-by-Step Guidance for Providing Crisis-Level Supports
- School Crisis Plan: Crisis Team Roles
- School Crisis Plan [SAMPLE]
- School Crisis Plan: Indicators of Student Need
- School Crisis Plan: Student Referral Process
- School Crisis Plan: Student Referral Form
- School Crisis Plan: Caregiver Interview
Resources for Partnerships with Mental Health Agencies:
- Selecting Mental Health Agency
- Partnering and Collaborating with Mental Health Agencies