In the wake of the recent events at Oxford and Michigan State University, the MASP board would like to share some resources to support schools, families, and our communities at large in dealing with the aftermath of school violence.  As educators and a major support for our students and school communities, we are positioned to provide support and resources on discussing these tragic events with youth.  The following resources may be helpful in talking with youth and supporting school safety and crisis support plans. 

NASP Resources 

• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers: High profile acts of violence, particularly in schools, can confuse and frighten children who may feel in danger or worry that their friends or loved-ones are at risk. They will look to adults for information and guidance on how to react. Parents and school personnel can help children feel safe by establishing a sense of normalcy and security and talking with them about their fears.

• Responding to a Mass Casualty Event at a School: General Guidance for the First Stage of Recovery: While the brief guidance offered here focuses on the first month following a crisis event, these steps must be viewed within the context of comprehensive school crisis prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery and with the understanding that recovery can take months or even years. Much of the guidance here is also applicable to other large-scale crisis events, but some of the details will differ. Additionally, this guidance is not a substitute for comprehensive crisis planning in advance.

• First Actions Following a School Crisis Event: Reminders for Crisis Response and Intervention Teams: School psychologists play a key role in crisis response in schools. Advance planning and crisis team training are critical, as are establishing first steps to supporting physical and psychological safety. The following are brief reminders for crisis team members regarding steps to take to ensure safety, meet immediate needs, and work to restore normalcy following a crisis event.

• Addressing Grief: Brief Tips:  Tips about grief and how people experience it differently.  

• Mitigating Psychological Effects of Lockdowns:  It is critical that administrators, school-employed mental health professionals, school resource and police officers, and safety and crisis team members work closely together to carefully develop a staff and student response protocol that follows best practice considerations such as those outlined in the document developed jointly by the National Association of School Psychologists and the National Association of School Resource Officers 

• Addressing Grief Infographic: How children grieve can be influenced by age, cultural traditions, religious beliefs, mental health, disabilities, and other factors. Grieving does not have a timeline, and schools and families should be aware of anniversaries, birthdays, developmental milestones, and other factors that could affect students months or years after the loss. 

• Care for Caregivers: Tips for Families and Educators: Parents, teachers, and other caregivers play a critical role in helping children cope with crises, often ignoring their own needs in the process. However, caregivers must take good care of themselves so they are able to take good care of the children in their charge.

• Quick Guidance at a Glance Documents: Many of these documents are highlights of some of the above resources.  These are great, quick handouts for educators and families during such difficult times.

OK2SAY:

• OK2SAY: OK2SAY is the student safety program which allows students to confidentially report tips on potential harm or criminal activities directed at students, school employees, and schools. It uses a comprehensive communication system to facilitate tip sharing among students, parents, school personnel, community mental health service programs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and law enforcement officials about harmful behaviors that threaten to disrupt the learning environment.