School Crisis Survival Guide

Suni Petersen is a licensed medical health counselor who has specialized in family therapy for over 13 years. Ms. Petersen has designed crisis plans for a number of school districts and has developed expertise in the areas of crises and death through her work with seriously and terminally ill clients. Ronald L. Straub, a counselor, has a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and a Master's in Divinity. Mr. Straub has taught high school, provided support to dying hospital patients, and worked as an alcohol counselor.

• Part I: Planning for Crisis. What Constitutes a Crisis? Why the School Must Address a Crisis. Establishing Your School Crisis Tem. Establishing a System-Wide Crisis Team. Assessing the Team's Preparedness. Components of a Good Plan. Part II: The Crisis Team in Motion. Checking the Facts. Adapting the Plan to Fit the Crisis. Making the Announcement. Staff Roles and Responsibilities During a Crisis. The Memorial Service. Addressing the Media. The Aftermath of a Crisis. Summary. Part III: Crisis Counseling. Effects of Trauma on Children. Age Level and Perceptions of Death. Short-Term Reactions to Trauma. Long-Term Effects of Crisis. Understanding Grief. Grief Counseling. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Preventing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Part IV: Activities for the Resolution of Trauma and Grief. Individual Activities. Individual or Group Activities. Group Activities. Part V: Special Concerns for Specific Crises. Factors that Increase the Likelihood of Trauma. Suicide Prevention. Suicide Postvention. Preventing Violence in the School. Coping with a Violent Crises. Coping with a Natural Disaster. When There Is a Dying Child in the Classroom. Appendix. Books for Students. Resource Books. Bibliography. Charts and Boxes.