Responding to tragic events
Tragic events, like accidents, natural disasters, violence, and hate crimes, can affect individuals, classes, schools, communities, and beyond. Your school board has processes in place for dealing with critical incidents and tragedies – you will be supported as you help your school community through times of uncertainty, tragedy, and loss.
Why this is important
- News and information, both factual and speculative, can cause students to experience a wide range of emotions and can affect students’ ability to learn and how they interact at school.
- Tragic events or situations can compound existing challenges for students, staff, and parents/caregivers who may already be coping with ongoing injustices and harms, or losses.
- The calm and supportive classroom environment and predictable routines of school can be helpful to students following a tragic event or during times of uncertainty.
Common reactions to tragic events
How students react to events will vary. Developmental stage, physical or emotional proximity to the event, and prior experience with traumatic circumstances can affect how students respond. Reactions can last for days and sometimes weeks. Reactions may include:
- absenteeism
- anger or irritability
- anxiety
- fatigue
- lack of focus
- physical complaints
- sadness
- social distancing
Typically, they subside over time as we help students talk through feelings, reassure them that they are safe and protected, and help them to gain perspective.
How schools can help
Lean on the guidance and resources from your board’s mental health leadership team and critical-incident response team as you work through times of uncertainty and tragedy. Here are some general considerations for you and your team.