Minnesota Association for Pupil Transportation. “Fortu- nately, one of our safety managers, Bob Cannifax, another Vietnam veteran, was on duty that afternoon and provid- ed valuable support to his fellow veteran and school bus driver. While such personal support may not be always available, all school districts are well served to have teams of professionals trained and ready to provide the necessary guidance and counseling to staff and students in the event of a tragic school bus accident.” Districts must also meet the needs of the students and
staff that are impacted by the death of one of their own. According to Bill Pfohl, a professor of psychology at West- ern Kentucky University and president of the International School Psychology Association, schools have become much
❝
many cases, the district brings together its school safety and school crisis teams, groups that are mandated by federal law. “Rumors spread too quickly. Te team must verify the
details and facts of the case,” said Pfohl, adding that the re- sponse should be based on who is most vulnerable. After reaching out to the immediate family and those clos-
est to the student, the team then looks to the next group that is commonly affected, the student’s classmates. But in deciding how to approach the situation, the age of the stu- dents involved must be considered. Tere are developmental guidelines that must be used. For students from kindergar- ten to third grade, school psychologists and counselors look at the student’s teachers and parents for their reactions, which many times will dictate the child’s reaction.
Once you get past third grade, children have their own reactions because they’re beginning to understand the concept of death.
Te response should be developmentally appropriate. ❞ — Bill Pfohl, president of the International School Psychology Association
more responsive to tragedies because school psychologists have received more training and been more involved in un- derstanding how kids and staff cope. In events like these, the first step is controlling the rumor
mill. Administrators must meet quickly to decide how to communicate the information to the students and staff. In
“Once you get past third grade, children have their own
reactions because they’re beginning to understand the con- cept of death,” explained Pfohl. “Te response should be developmentally appropriate.” In some states there are no well-defined grief plans to han- dle these school issues, and this has presented a challenge for
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