EBCA - Crisis Response Plan

CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN

The Acton School Department recognizes that crisis situations can arise unexpectedly, yet require an organized and thoughtful response. Possible crisis situations could include suicide, natural disaster, death of a faculty member or student, rape, car or school bus accident, or threats of or actual harm to students or staff from a source outside the school.

To facilitate the development of a Crisis Response Plan and to help carry out that plan, the Acton School Department authorizes the Superintendent to establish a Crisis Response Team, which may include representatives from administration, counseling staff, school personnel, parents, local safety department(s), local human services agencies and clergy.

Once named, the Crisis Response team should be assembled to create a specific but flexible Crisis Response Plan that will allow school officials to communicate accurate information to staff, students, parents, the media and the community, and to respond to any material, physical and/or emotional needs that arise in a crisis situation. The Plan should include specific information such as (1) how a state of emergency or crisis will be declared and by whom, (2) Where crisis headquarters will be located, and (3) who will serve as spokesperson(s) during the crisis. The Plan should also include provisions for notification of school personnel at the earliest convenience.

For situations that may result in strong emotional reactions by students, the Crisis Response Plan should provide counseling services to be provided, as the situation may require, by school counselors, community social services agency staff and possible local clergy. Special care should be taken to avoid the announcement of deaths or other upsetting or alarming news to large assemblies or over the intercom. When potentially upsetting news needs to be delivered to the student body, the Crisis Response Team shall determine the best means of delivery including parents, classroom teacher, advisor, or other individuals who could respond appropriately to questions and support needs that

may arise.

The Crisis Response Plan should include a means to evaluate the effectiveness of each instance that the Plan is used. If the Plan is not utilized during the school year, an annual review shall be conducted to ensure that all aspects of the Plan remain current. The Superintendent shall develop administrative procedures, as appropriate, to implement this policy.

Adopted: March 10, 1998

Reviewed:  November 12, 2019