When Death Impacts Your School or Organization

With an anticipated death of a student or staff member:

• Allow students to talk about their feelings
• If the child or adult has hospice care, with the families permission, invite the social worker or nurse to come to talk with the class
• Answer questions about the illness, disease, or disorder
• Reassure the students that the illness is not contagious
• Make cards for the person as a class
• Visit as appropriate
• Create acts of service for the family

After the death:

• Notify parents if possible before the students return to school
• Have a crisis team in place
• Be truthful and direct with students (in the case of suicide or other traumatic death talk to family before revealing specific information)
• Create opportunities of service for the family
• Visit as appropriate
• Attend the funeral or memorial service
• Establish a “safe” room for both students and staff
• Adjust schedules if necessary
• Offer opportunities for students to express their emotions

These are just a few suggestions. The most important is to have a plan and team in place ahead of time.

For more information, go to http://grievingstudents.scholastic.com. You can also contact Kate’s Club to find out about our crisis response and grief support for Georgia schools and other youth organizations.

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