Students should be notified of the crisis or tragedy in their classrooms at the same time, and in the morning if possible to avoid the spread of misinformation.
Avoid making an announcement in assemblies, large groups, or over the intercom as it is too difficult to monitor students’ emotional responses.
Additionally, remember privacy laws and limit the announcement to necessary and verified facts. An Administrator or Crisis Response Team member will be able to confirm what is necessary and verified. Refer to FERPA guidelines.
If a teacher feels unable to read a script to their class, or would like support when reading it, please provide a Crisis Responder to go to the classroom and facilitate this meeting. Also, be sure to give teachers a copy of the Tip Sheet, below, to help teachers interact with their students more effectively.