How To Care For School Staff

Transcription

1 School Staff and Crisis: Care for the Caregiver By Linda C. Eby, LPC, and Janis L. Wallender, LPC Introduction Evan, a vivacious, fun-loving, and occasionally challenging 7th grade boy visited the doctor on Friday, as he was not feeling well. On Tuesday morning, a call came into the school with the startling news that Evan had been diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of cancer. Teachers were called out of their classrooms into the hall briefly to receive the information that morning. Then, without any personal time to process, and reeling with their own reactions, each returned to the classroom to talk to their students. Just as children watch their parents for cues when a crisis strikes at home, they scrutinize their teachers and other staff when a tragedy happens at school. Developmentally and experientially confused about how to respond in difficult situations, students reflect back what they see from the significant adults in their lives. This is especially true for students in unfamiliar and unsettling situations, such as a crisis. It is imperative, then, to include staff self-care and support as a fundamental component of any school crisis plan. Most crisis plans are tremendously sensitive to the needs of students and their parents. The goal of this article is to add staff-care to the list of must address issues in the development and implementation of any district crisis plan. The writers will highlight staff-care through the progression of the three key areas of crisis planning: prevention, intervention, and postvention. Remembering that schools are a microcosm of a larger community, any effective crisis plan requires input and involvement from staff representing all settings. The insight and unique perspective of the bus driver, counselor, and kitchen staff will be as important as that of the teacher, custodian, and administrator to the development and implementation of an effective, comprehensive school crisis plan. If we are going to rely on all of these people in the event of a crisis, then we must start by giving them proper preparation to deal with a crisis. Thus, we will begin by looking at the area of prevention. Prevention Prevention includes any activity that takes place prior to a crisis. Students participate in programs that teach conflict resolution, anger management, and other skills in hopes of thwarting a possible crisis. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, crises will still occur. So, while we are working to prevent most events, we have to be preparing for that event which will occur anyway, such as the natural disaster or accidental death. The school crisis plan is the prevention work designed to minimize the impact of that unavoidable event. When staff members, representing all areas of the school, participate in the development, review, and implementation of a crisis plan, valuable results follow. The plan s comprehensive School Staff and Crisis: Care for the Caregiver 1

2 nature promises greater effectiveness. Professional development, based upon trial runs of the plan, benefits all staff. And most importantly, a thorough understanding and ownership of the plan raises the probability of its successful implementation when crisis strikes. Training and information for staff, all staff, before a crisis occurs is crucial. Anything can be outlined on paper and called a "crisis plan," but it serves only as a collection of written ideas unless it is exercised. The FEMA Multi-Hazards for Schools program, the National Organization for Victim s Assistance, and the Crisis Management Institute all promote the use of table-top exercises. These exercises give staff members a crisis scenario, and then, based on their knowledge of crisis response, they are to decide what they would do if this event actually occurred. Staff members are usually given a short period of time to discuss the scenario at their tables and then report back to the body as a whole. These exercises are short, but keep the staff aware of how a crisis might be handled, and also gives them an opportunity to discuss and share how a crisis might be handled. As staff meetings are often limited to professional teaching staff, it is important to create opportunities to discuss the crisis plan when the entire staff convenes. This may be done at a fall in-service. In addition to the combined staff exercises, table-top exercises can be presented to staff at departmental meetings and findings can be shared through staff . In the writers' experience, it is often the person least expected who comes up with a great idea for handling a particular crisis. While table-top exercises provide valuable experience, schools must be diligent in drilling for possible events, such as fire, tornado, earthquake, shelter-in-place, and reverse evacuation. In the State of North Dakota, for example, the century code reads that each school will conduct at least nine fire drills during the course of a school year. Because of the vast number of responsibilities schools have, drills can be sporadic. Although the saying is, "practice makes perfect," there is no perfect way to respond to a crisis. Unfortunately though, the absence of practice opportunities will most certainly increase the negative impact on students, staff, and the community during a crisis situation. So, for a crisis plan to be of optimal benefit, and for our staff to be most prepared to help students and to take care of themselves, the plan must be exercised. Practice with all staff, including cooks, custodians, bus drivers, aides, teachers, specialists, and administration using differing scenarios is imperative. Instead of a class always exiting the school in the same place for a fire drill, set up a blockade for that exit. Instead of having the fire drill during class time, have it during lunch or when students are arriving or preparing to leave for the day. Of course, it will be essential to have all staff involved in the planning of these scenarios so that they will be learning. Staff members and students must be prepared to respond in all situations because a crisis never happens exactly as it is practiced. During practice exercises, it is helpful to have someone observing the staff members and noting those who are able to remain calm. Inevitably, there will be some who have a difficult time with crisis situations because of prior events in their lives. One teacher told of a recurring thought that haunted her each time the fire alarm sounded in her school. While evacuating the school building, a picture of a sideways staircase would flash in her mind. She mentioned this to School Staff and Crisis: Care for the Caregiver 2

3 her mother. Her mother reminded her of how, when just a youngster, she had grabbed her and carried her sideways past the stairway and out of their burning house. Staff members in school systems may think they know one another, but past events can be triggered during crisis situations of which others may be unaware. Because of this, FEMA has constructed a form that can be filled out by all staff members indicating areas where they have outside training, i.e. volunteer ambulance, volunteer fire department, Red Cross training, etc. This form also asks for areas in which a staff member would and would not feel capable of helping with a crisis situation. In this way, a school can assign staff most appropriately in a major crisis. A vital component of exercises and drills is debriefing. In one of the writer's schools, a mock shooting exercise was carried out with staff only. Although this exercise gave the local police, fire department, emergency workers, and hospital a great opportunity for learning, local school teachers conducted parent open houses that evening without the opportunity to debrief what had taken place. The following day it was discovered that a number of staff members had lain awake during the night wondering how they could have better protected themselves. A debriefing opportunity would have allowed staff a chance to talk about their feelings right away, offering more closure for the situation. Crises strike communities as well as individual schools. Staff members own families may be affected. In the event of an emergency during the school day, many teacher contracts require that staff remain at school with the students. All staff members need to know, before the crisis occurs, what will be expected of them. Schools may keep some staff and release others based upon whether each family has small children, school-age children, or grown children. Regardless of the circumstances, comprehensive family crisis plans need to be developed by each staff member that ensure the safety and care of all personal family members. Communication procedures that allow staff members access to the information about their family s safety and protection throughout the crisis, will enhance their ability to personally cope and give the focused attention students need at a traumatic time. Although it is impossible to predict everything that will happen in the event of a crisis, a good amount of planning, practicing, and exercising in the prevention stage raises the level of effective response during an intervention. If a poll were to have been taken in schools prior to Columbine, it would likely have shown that a vast majority of staff members were unaware of their school crisis plan. It was probably a document that sat on a shelf in the administration office and was not looked at other than when a crisis occurred. Today, because of events such as Columbine, there is heightened concern by many people and more schools are seriously looking at crisis planning as an integral part of the total school process. Intervention All staff members require support in times of crisis. School staffs care for the needs of their students throughout the day. Their needs, in turn, must be considered by a sensitive and responsive administration implementing a comprehensive crisis plan. Teachers especially, isolated from other adults for most of the day in the classroom, must be on for their students. At the same time, they are experiencing their own grief, shock, or confusion about the situation. Time for teachers to process personal reaction to a tragedy is crucial. School Staff and Crisis: Care for the Caregiver 3

4 It is Monday morning, and teachers are arriving at school about an hour before their students to set up for the day. They are not prepared for the shocking news they are about to hear. Ted, a beloved colleague and recently retired teacher, died Saturday night after being in the hospital less than 24 hours. Devastated staff members burst into tears in the halls, minds struggling to grasp the enormity of this information. Ted had just visited last week, giving rides in his newly acquired vintage Porsche. But within an hour, after a brief informational meeting, each staff member was in place--classroom, office, library, or kitchen and on. They report hardly remembering that day as they performed their various responsibilities in stunned disbelief, grasping scarce moments outside of the classroom to grieve with one another. It had been decided that Monday morning would be soon enough to inform staff and allow them to process the information. Weekend calls were not necessary. Simply initiating the emergency phone tree would have given staff members a chance to do some personal grieving, contact one another, and come to school with some idea of how they were going to manage their responsibilities for the day. In addition to advance notice, a plan for staff support during the immediate aftermath of an event must be implemented. The morning meeting, a floating substitute for the day, and opportunities for staff to be with one another to grieve are all important intervention strategies for staff-care. Although colleague support is what most staff members seek out, counseling support needs to be available to staff, just as it is for students, during a crisis. A simple acknowledgement that staff is also impacted by a crisis and consideration of their needs as part of the intervention process will greatly influence the overall recovery of the school community. The events of September 11, 2001 yielded a tremendous learning experience for us. Within our schools that day, it was clear that students were taking cues about the seriousness of this event from their teachers. Students knew something terrible had happened. Most were already at school when they heard the news. Teachers became the largest single group of adults giving information to and influencing thinking of our youth about what was happening. What a sobering thought! We were experiencing a pivotal moment in history and it will be remembered by the majority of our young people within the context of the school classroom and their own teacher s responses. Much discussion occurred in the immediate aftermath of September 11 regarding what schools did to process with students. It seemed, however, that while the discussion may have begun with a student focus, it gravitated to teacher reaction and the support that had been given staff to cope throughout the day. Staff care includes information given in a thoughtful, supportive manner. An appropriate amount of time allowed for personal processing and adult-to-adult support before re-entering the classroom benefits both the staff members and their students. Given these considerations, staff are much more likely to respond to student needs in ways that helps diminish the long-term negative results of the situation. Studies show that effectively dealing with the traumatic impact of an event in the immediate aftermath can significantly reduce the length and severity of the recovery process. This is true for teachers as well as students. School Staff and Crisis: Care for the Caregiver 4

5 Postvention As mentioned earlier, the opportunity to debrief is an integral part of the crisis plan. Long-term negative effects can be minimized by a supportive postvention plan for staff. Educating staff about typical stress reactions will not only reduce personal anxiety over symptoms they may be experiencing, but give them empathy for students exhibiting similar reactions. Administrative response plays a key role in staff support after a crisis. Consider this situation. It was time for class to start and Jennie, a middle school Resource Room teacher had not arrived. Her classroom aide became worried and contacted the office. Jennie s brother was home and answered the call from the office. He thought she had gone to work. He went to look for her and came back to the phone, out of breath, saying that he could not wake her up and was going to call 911. Jennie, not yet 50 years old, had died in her sleep. Staff members were shocked as they heard the information throughout the morning and were given the details in the staff room during their lunch break. Students were going to be dealt with individually since only a few knew her from the resource room. A substitute was brought in to Jennie s classroom and, from all appearances, the school community as a whole didn t skip a beat. But what message did this plan give from the staff s perspective? Teacher comments included: Where is the support for us? There is no recognition that we are grieving and need some time to be with one another. Is that all the difference it would make to anyone if I died? An inadequate response to staff needs had spawned feelings among the staff that they had been neglected and devalued. Just as students have a need to be involved in planning memorial activities for their peers, teachers need to participate in similar activities when they lose someone close to them, whether student or staff member. The staff and students in Jennie s school joined forces and planned an impromptu memorial for her on their own. Healing and encouragement marked this celebration of Jennie s life as students and staff stood side by side, sharing memories and appreciations and the grieving process. The result was not just an acknowledgement of Jennie, but also an affirmation of one another. As mentioned earlier, staff reactions to crisis will vary based upon the nature of the crisis, the emotional make-up of the staff member, and previous life experiences. When a student dies, one teacher may need to go home right away, overwhelmed with emotion, while another may only need a substitute to step in to their room for a couple of minutes. Two kitchen staff members, who had an ongoing relationship with a student cafeteria worker, may react differently to that student s death. One may be able to talk right away and seem fine within a short time while another may not easily verbalize feelings and will need the facilitative support of an employee assistance counselor to process grief. A secretary may be experiencing a reaction related both to the loss of the student, and to a personal loss of her own child years earlier. There is no right or wrong way to react. Staff members need support for and acknowledgement of their varied healing processes after a school crisis. The comprehensive crisis response plan addresses School Staff and Crisis: Care for the Caregiver 5

6 the ongoing needs of everyone in the school community for a period of time after a crisis, including students, parents, and staff at all levels. Summary The comprehensive school crisis plan is developed with input from staff representing all facets of the school community. It is a document that is reviewed for relevance and maximum effectiveness regularly. The plan includes provisions for ongoing training and education of the staff. It instructs staff in developing personal family crisis plans. Meaningful support is outlined for staff just as it is for students and parents. School staff members are the foundation upon which a successful crisis response is implemented. The long-term impact of any crisis can be greatly reduced by thoughtful, planned care for the caregivers. About the Authors # # # # # Lind Eby, MEd in Counseling, Licensed Professional Counselor, is in her 20 th year as a Gresham, Oregon school counselor. She is an American Red Cross Mental Health Responder, and has crisis training that includes Crisis Management Institute, Trauma Intervention Program, and the National Organization for Victims' Assistance. She currently serves as School Crisis Planning Team Chair, Oregon School Counselor Association, and is Middle/Jr. High Vice President of the American School Counselor Association. Janis Wallender, MEd in Counseling, Licensed Professional Counselor, is in her 11 th year as a school counselor at Beulah Elementary and Middle Schools in Beulah, N.D. She is a certified trainer of FEMA's Multi-Hazards for Schools Program and has participated in the training for area North Dakota Schools. She serves on the North Dakota Suicide Prevention Task Force, chairs the North Dakota School Counselor Advisory Board, and is currently Elementary Vice President of the American School Counselor Association. About the Symposium The Human Side of School Crises is presented as a public service of the Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI), in cooperation with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). The Public Entity Risk Institute provides these materials "as is," for educational and informational purposes only, and without representation, guarantee or warranty of any kind, express or implied, including any warranty relating to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, currency or usefulness of the content of this material. Publication and distribution of this material is not an endorsement by PERI, its officers, directors or employees of any opinions, conclusions or recommendations contained herein. PERI will not be liable for any claims for damages of any kind based upon errors, omissions or other inaccuracies in the information or material contained here. # # # # # School Staff and Crisis: Care for the Caregiver 6