Resources for Coping with Death of a Staff Member

Resources for Coping with Death of a Staff Member

Poem to Help

https://www.sps186.org/downloads/basic/552690/Elephant%20in%20the%20Room%20by%20Terry%20Kettering.pdf

Elephant in the Room by Terry Kettering 

There's an elephant in the room. It is large and squatting, so it is hard to get around it. Yet we squeeze by with, "How are you?" and "I'm fine," and a thousand other forms of trivial chatter. We talk about the weather. We talk about work. We talk about everything else, except the elephant in the room. 

There's an elephant in the room. We all know it's there. We are thinking about the elephant as we talk together. It is constantly on our minds. For, you see, it is a very large elephant. It has hurt us all. 

But we don't talk about the elephant in the room. Oh, please say his (her) name. Oh, please say his (her) name again. Oh, please, let's talk about the elephant in the room. 

For if we talk about his (her) death, perhaps we can talk about his (her) life. Can I say his (her) name to you and not have you look away? For if I cannot, then you are leaving me.... alone.... in a room.... with an elephant.

Children's Grief Education Resources

• Words that can Help and Words that can Hurt:  http://www.childgrief.org/documents/WordsthatHelpandHurt.pdf

U.S. Department of Education

• Coping with the Death of a Staff Member or student http://rems.ed.gov/docs/copingw_death_studentorstaff.pdf

National Association for School Psychologists Resources:

• Addressing Grief: Tips for Teachers and Administrators https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/school-safety-and-crisis/addressing-grief/addressing-grief-tips-for-teachers-and-administrators

• Recommended Books for Children Coping with Loss or Trauma https://www.nasponline.org/assets/Documents/Resources%20and%20Publications/Handouts/Safety%20and%20Crisis/Books_for_Children_Dealing_With_Loss_or_Trauma.pdf

National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement:

• Guidelines for Responding to the Death of a Staff Member http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/assets/0/78/1067/4357/4389/2fa07dc5-0e85-4495-aa9c-2b31fd837ba1.pdf

Wisconsin School Counselor Association

• Developmental Stages of Understanding Death:  http://www.wscaweb.org/WSCALink_September2014#.Vq2Y-FUrLnA

American School Counselor Association

• Helping Kids during a Crisis:             https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/professional-development/2016-webinar-series/learn-more/helping-kids-during-crisis 

Grief Resources for Schools

• Helpful Information for School Administrators and Staff When a School Has Been Impacted by a Death including how to tell students, parents, sample letters, and more              http://www.griefspeaks.com/id97.html