CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN

It is the policy of the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District School Committee that the school shall, in accordance with administrative guidelines to be developed by the superintendent, prepare and have in place a crisis response plan. The crisis response plan shall be in writing, and available to all appropriate employees as determined by the building principal at all times in the principal's office and other appropriate locations.

The School Committee 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 School Committee authorizes the administrative team to establish Crisis Response Teams, including representatives from administration, the guidance staff, school medical personnel, the teaching staff, parents, local public 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 the crisis headquarters will be located

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, i.e., via a telephone network to their homes, when possible.

For situations that may result in strong emotional reactions by students, the Crisis Response Plan should provide for counseling services to be provided, as the situation may require, by school guidance personnel, 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. If potentially upsetting news needs to be delivered to the student body, it should be given by the homeroom 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.

Cross Reference:

JLIF - ADOLESCENT SUICIDE

Adopted: 8-17-1994

Revised: 6-9-1999