Burlington County School Crisis Response Team

Schools, unfortunately, are not exempt from crisis. The loss of a student, a staff member, an accident or violent incident impacts the entire school population. In some ways, when crisis strikes our schools, the result is more devastating because of the large population being affected simultaneously. Even those who may not have had a close relationship with a victim are touched as the current loss triggers past experiences in their own lives.

School personnel know that our facilities must be safe places for students before we can begin the process of education. So when there is a crisis, reestablishing normalcy as soon as possible is critical. But allowing children, teens and adults the opportunity to talk, comfort and share with each other is an important step in the grief process. Bringing parents and community members into the equation forms a wider of circle of support for the school community, and can be very helpful.

The links to the left are intended to help the entire community better understand the impact of crisis in our schools. These documents provide guidance on how to see warning signs of violence and avoid the conflicts that might lead to crisis. They offer practical solutions on how to help those dealing with tragedy, and address the long-term effects of trauma. Please feel free to share these documents as needed and let us know if there are other topics related to crisis in schools that you would like to see covered with additional information here.