Crisis Intervention Plan

Crisis Intervention Plan

Crisis Intervention (CI) Team Members

Principal                                     Kris Clark

Assistant Principal                     Chris Culp

Assistant Principal                     Tyrone DeVane

Assistant Principal                     Paige Elliott

Counselor                                   Alvin Morman

Secretary                                     Kathryn Bell

Receptionist                                Sharlette Ragan

Social Worker                             Peggy Okantey

School Nurse                              Brittany Weiss

School Psychologist                  Sharina Jimenez                     

Trainer/Teacher Veronica Umphrey

Head Custodian                          Minerva DeJesus

Purpose

In the event of a crisis, our school staff, working with our school system and community agencies, will be able to provide the best response and lessen the impact of the crisis on our students, staff and others in our school community.  The principal determines when the CI plan is implemented.

Notification

If an act of violence occurs during the school day, the first staff member with the knowledge is to call 9-911 and then contact the principal or his designee.  The principal will enact countywide procedures (lockdown with red, green and blue cards or evacuation) for threats inside or outside the school building.  The principal will direct CI members to contact WCPSS Security and the Area Superintendent.  Depending on the type of crisis and time of day, the principal will decide how and who will be notified.  A staff checklist provided by the principal’s secretary will be used to make sure no one is omitted.  The CI chairperson will contact the WCPSS lead psychologist, FVMS social worker and FVMS school nurse.  The principal will decide when to notify students and prepare a statement to be delivered to classrooms for reading.  If the information becomes known after school hours, the principal decides to enact the phone tree procedures and what information to share.  The CI team (as many members as possible) will meet as soon as possible to plan for immediate actions and first day procedures.  A staff meeting will be held the afternoon of or the following morning to debrief staff members. 

Setting Up A Crisis Center

The CI chairperson working with the guidance department decides which areas will be used for support/counseling areas.  Selection should take into account that a large area and smaller areas will be needed.  The media center is recommended because there are several small conference areas.  The CI team members will assess the areas and make sure they provide privacy and have adequate seating.  They will gather and stock the areas with supplies (tissues, pens, legal pads, hall passes, parent contact numbers, refreshments.)  The PTA president will be contacted for help in this area.  This information will be shared at the staff meeting including the procedure for sending students to the crisis center.  After the first day the CI team will decide whether or not to continue using the media center or switch to the guidance suite or the administrator’s office in the team area of the most affected students. 

Referral to the Crisis Center      

Teachers will refer to the crisis center, as they deem necessary.  Teachers and counselors may decide to have CI team members (counselors and psychologists) visit classrooms of the most affected students and staff. One CI member will monitor the student traffic and log in/out students with times.  Staff members (other administrators, ISS coordinator and media specialists) will escort students back to class and will monitor halls, stairwells, outside, restrooms, etc. to ensure students are in place and safe.  Parents of students having the most difficult time will be contacted in addition to the letter sent home with all students.

In the Event of An Act of Violence

The principal will follow the directions of responding law enforcement and WCPSS security.  The principal will designate a command post and debrief appropriate staff.  When the threat of danger is over, administrators will work with law enforcement and WCPSS security to secure any crime scene and locate any witnesses.  Teachers will be asked to make sure all students are accounted for and available staff will visit each classroom to see if any students are missing.  CI team members will assist clerical staff in checking out students and addressing parents who come to school. Administrators, with the help of support staff, will contact parents of any students who are injured or who witnessed the incident.  If needed, the principal will designate an administrator and/ or counselor to travel to the hospital where students may be taken. 

In the Event of Relocation

If a crisis occurs that requires us to relocate our student body, the principal will notify staff.  School administrators will work with WCPSS Security and Transportation departments to organize the relocation.  With the help of the guidance department, the CI chairperson will ensure that student medications and school locators are taken to the site.  The administrators will take their Nextel phones and their 2 way portable radios.  Other phones and radios will be collected and transported by a CI team member.  All staff members will be reminded to take the emergency kit provided for his/her classroom.  At the relocation site, non-teaching CI team members will organize/implement the student release process and assist with student supervision.

Follow-Up Procedures

After the initial response, the CI team will meet to decide what needs to be the next course of action.  Examples may be clean up, home/hospital visits, communication with staff/parents/community, and/or set-up/continuation of a crisis center.  Counselors will log and document the interactions with students who are having difficulty coping with the incident.  They will determine if small group and/or classroom sessions are needed. They will work with families, WCPSS psychological services and community mental health agencies to assist students with more intensive counseling needs.  Administrators will check on staff members to see if they need coverage and/or support.  The administrator in charge of substitutes will monitor staff absences following the event and make personal contact to check on them.

Other

The CI manual published by WCPSS psychological services will be used as a reference.  One copy remains in the principal’s office and the other with the CI chairperson.  Those manuals along with copies of the WCPSS critical incident response plan, our school’s CI plan and the WCPSS emergency/crisis guide will be collected and transported to the relocation.  A laptop computer and computer disks will be taken as well.  The principal’s secretary will be responsible for securing these items.  The receptionist/clerical assistant will bring her parent/emergency contact and student schedule information to the relocation site.  The WCPSS crisis procedures and school CI plan are discussed at the opening of school staff meetings.  Staff members who are new to our school are given crisis information through our orientation and BTSP (Beginning Teacher Support Programs).  The system and school plans are to be reviewed with staff throughout the year.  The CI team will review the plan at the beginning of each school year for possible revision and during the year if needed.