Every teacher or staff member who arrives at the school must be directed to a room where the announcement will be made. Until the entire staff has arrived, you can say that an event has occurred and that a group announcement will be made in a few moments. In some cases, staff will already have heard of the event through the media or another source. Let the teachers chat, and once everyone has arrived, make the announcement and inform them of their upcoming mandate.

Inform them of the event, welcome reactions and answer questions. Inform them of the actions that are being taken by the Emergency Committee and of the next steps. Take the time to make sure everyone understands what this meeting entails.

This is the time to support staff in their role of announcing the event to students, of supporting students’ emotions, of answering their questions and of directing them as needed to the reflection room or to the support rooms (see Support section). Ideally, all staff would already have taken some relevant training to deal with this sort of situation. However, if this is not the case, remind staff that they are the people who know the youth best and who are therefore best suited for this difficult task, and that there will be a follow-up meeting at the end of the day. Try to reassure them, and remind them that they have access to support staff if needed. If there is no reaction, proceed as usual.

The exceptional event should be announced to the whole school in order to avoid rumors, to avoid young people learning the news from each other, to avoid inappropriate reactions and attitudes, and to respect the fact that everyone is entitled to their reactions. The announcement should be made by the teachers because this is the best way for everyone to hear the news at the same time. This also helps the Emergency Committee and support workers do their work at the heart of the action.

Words must be chosen carefully. It is important not to hide the nature of the event, in order to avoid students inventing stories, rumors circulating or information being misinterpreted by relatives. Naming facts with sobriety helps create a climate of security.

Avoid glorifying, idealizing or giving unnecessary details about the event or person. Simple, neutral, and respectful communication is best.

The language used by the Emergency Committee during a suicide or homicide should depend on the context, the information already known and the rumors circulating in the environment. It is not recommended to provide too much information right away. The aim is not to multiply the details, but to respond clearly to information needs while protecting young people from being overexposed or from looking for answers on the Internet. This approach applies to all types of deaths. The elements to be shared must be considered and decided upon by the Committee.

The words used and the actions taken must be chosen carefully. Announcing a death to students can have a significant impact, and several factors should be considered.

In the case of a death by suicide, the scientific literature describes a particular phenomenon known as “knock-on effect” or “suicidal contagion” (Werther effect). This term refers to the possible increase in suicidal ideation or behavior in some people as a result of exposure to suicide. This well-documented phenomenon is based on mechanisms of identification or social imitation that can increase the vulnerability of already vulnerable young people. This concept is specific to suicide.

Other types of death can also act as triggers and cause significant psychological distress in vulnerable people. Traumatic reactions or stressors can be contagious and may require professional support.

Always avoid glorifying death or making it more beautiful than life. The focus should be on support and prevention. Talking about death and mourning is important, but the right language should be used.

It is very important that staff be at the school yard entrance to find out whether the information has started to circulate among students. If so, staff should act quickly and direct the students to their classrooms in order to control the spread. You can say something like “Yes, something unusual is going on this morning, you’ll find out very soon, don’t worry.” If no information seems to have been disseminated, teachers welcome their students as usual.

The announcement is made at a specific time decided by the Emergency Committee. After making the announcement, each teacher must welcome their students’ emotions. The teacher can start by naming their own, and then facilitate a group discussion and answer questions.

All this should be done simply, with kindness and respect for those involved. The teacher does not have to answer all questions and must keep the focus on what is happening in the classroom. Teachers should inform their students of the services available and report absentees to the school secretary before the students leave the class.

From this point onwards, the members of the school team must carefully track changes in behavior among the youth (isolation, absenteeism, frequent crying, unusual anger, disturbing remarks, marked withdrawal). Special attention should be paid to those students who already displayed risk factors or frailties before the event, in order to provide them with timely support.

The secretariat plays a very important role in managing exceptional events. The person answering the phone must know what to say or not to say if questions are asked. This person must quickly make photocopies or send out communications. Managing delays and absences is also very important.

A detailed list must be provided to the Emergency Committee who will promptly contact parents and/or absent students in order to inform them that an announcement was made in class that day. It is essential to guide parents in how to approach this announcement with their children and to provide them with appropriate resources if needed. Any student who is late will need to be intercepted if they arrive during or after the announcement. A personalized announcement will be made before directing the student to their classroom or to an intervention or reflection room.

The reflection room should be set up to allow many young people to sit comfortably. It’s a place for students to meet, to ventilate, and to express themselves, but there are no prescribed interventions in this room.

This is not a group therapy room facilitated by a counselor. It is designed to allow students to express themselves. The person assigned to the reflection room is a support worker. This person offers tissue, paper, and pencils, and they supervise discussions that may get lively, disrespectful or untruthful. This room can be available for a few days, according to the needs. Usually it closes on Day 6. Its closure must be announced to students in advance.

Individual interventions are loosely structured sessions with no set time which aim to meet the needs of each student. Some will be grieving the death of a friend, others will be reacting to a parent’s illness or will simply need to cry even if they didn’t know the deceased person.

This is where you start to distinguish between students who are grieving and those who are reacting. Notes are taken during these individual sessions and other sessions can sometimes be offered to students who need them. This intervention period usually lasts no more than three days.

The staff’s needs must also be attended to. Breaks, lunch hours, starts and ends of days can be heavy. It is important to take care of everyone, including members of the Emergency Committee and support workers who directly support the youth. This role should be filled by a neutral support worker who is not at the “front.”

It should be noted that staff members cannot provide professional therapeutic assistance to their colleagues, as this would cross ethical lines. Staff should be directed to support resources if needed.

The students will naturally choose a place to commemorate the event. This could be a locker, a table at the school entrance, etc. There are multiple possible locations. If students do not identify a site, the Emergency Committee should do so.

This site will be used to reflect, to write messages to the family, to leave an object or a photo. The commemoration site is usually maintained until Day 6. Messages can be delivered to the family during the funeral or at another time.

Parents must absolutely be informed of the event, because their children will need support with their emotions and reactions. An email should be sent a few minutes after the classroom announcement. This email should summarize the information given to students, the steps taken and the resources available for the children.

Before the end of the day, the Committee must take a break and record the day’s actions and observations. This will be used to prepare for the debriefing meeting with staff. The Committee evaluates the day and discusses the steps to be taken the next day. Members give each other mutual support and adjust as needed.

At the end of the day, it is strongly recommended to hold a staff meeting where all the steps and emotions of the day will be discussed. This is the time where questions are addressed and direction is provided for the next few days. The meeting also provides information on support resources, the role of the school in providing support, and useful information about the Employee Assistance Program.