We realize that our school community and the nation at large have experienced various levels of trauma. In an effort to support our students and staff, the Student Support Services Department created this document to highlight the supports and services available before, during, and after a crisis or conflict has occurred.

The purpose of a Building Crisis Team (BCT) is to provide leadership to their school community regarding critical incidents, disruptive behaviors, grief, loss, and traumatic events. They will make decisions as a team and will have various roles/responsibilities assigned to individual team members. In the event of a crisis, each BCT will implement the steps outlined in the district’s Remote Support Team Response Plan and/or RCSD Trauma, Illness, and Grief (TIG) Response Guide. Each BCT will assign one team member, who needs to be trained, to lead the BCT. The rest of the BCT members will help facilitate their team’s response. All BCT members should attend TIG training if they haven't as soon as possible.

The BCT, when possible, should include the following:

• Principal

• Assistant Principal(s)

• School Counselor(s)

• School Social Worker(s)

• School Psychologist(s)

• School Nurse

• Others as determined by BCT (i.e. Roc Restorative Member, SEL Coach, Community Partners like CFY, Teacher, Secretary, Custodial, Food Service, Security, and other Support Staff)

Responsibilities of the BCT include:

• Monthly meetings

• Confidentiality maintained regarding all situations

• Assist with assessment of student/staff/building needs

• Support mental health/counseling response

• Share information and resources

• Provide education and in-service to team

• Team building among crisis team members

To Access Team:

The principal and or School Chief will reach out to Mr. James Sheppard, RCSD Director of Safety and Security, at (585) 298- 0323 when there is a crisis. Mr. Sheppard will follow up and coordinate with Tamara Sheppard regarding what's needed and what supports are to be deployed to assist the building during the crisis/event.

Purpose:

The purpose of the RCSD Remote Support Teams (RST) is to facilitate and assist with the systematic response to critical incidents and disruptive behaviors within the district. Membership is comprised of district staff members who have completed the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), Threat Assessment Training, Restorative Practice Training, and ACES training. The District’s Remote Support Team (RST) Coordinator, will work in collaboration with the Trauma, Illness & Grief (TIG) Coordinator when necessary, to determine the duration of the involvement of RST based on the threat level and the need for services.

The response of the RST may include:

• Provide crisis intervention for students and staff
• Facilitate Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM Defusing)
• Facilitate Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD)
• Participate in on-site planning and follow-up meetings

*ROC Restorative Team and Pathways to Peace support the Remote Support and Trauma, Illness & Grief Teams

Trauma, Illness, and Grief (TIG) Building Crisis Team

Purpose:

The purpose of a TIG Building Crisis Team (TIG BCT) is to provide leadership to their school community regarding grief, loss, and traumatic events. They will make decisions as a team and will have various roles/ responsibilities assigned to individual team members. In the event of a crisis, each TIG BCT will implement the steps outlined in the District’s TIG Response Guide. The TIG trained members of each building’s crisis team will facilitate their team’s response. The Building Principal or their designee is the person responsible to activate the Building TIG Team and work with their TIG Team and School Chief. The TIG BCT is responsible to provide support in their buildings from level 1 to level 4.

RCSD Trauma, Illness, and Grief (TIG) DIstrict Crisis Team

Purpose:

The purpose of the District TIG Team is to facilitate and assist with the systematic response to tragedy and crisis within the district. Membership is comprised of district staff members who have completed the comprehensive TIG training. This team is activated for levels 4-5 per the District's RCSD TIG Manual. The School Chief and building principal will contact the District TIG Coordinator, Edna Robinson at (585) 820- 9955 to consult and determine what supports from the District's TIG Team is needed.

The duration of the TIG response is determined by need and may include:

• Assist with assessment of student/staff/building needs

• Provide crisis intervention for students and staff

• Provide consultation

• Facilitate Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM Defusing)

• Facilitate Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD)

• Facilitate agency contacts

• Attend public meetings

• Participate in on-site planning and follow-up

• Develop or access resource materials

• Assist in Health Office

• Provide clerical assistance

Additional responsibilities may include:

• Develop and facilitate in-service training

• Collect and analyze data (i.e. Crisis Team Checklist information)

• Monitor and revise district crisis plan

• Access county-wide TIG members as needed

• Support and/or connect with District Emergency Response Team (ERT)

Each Building Crisis Team will determine what building level supports will be needed for students after a crisis. In many instances, buildings have partnerships with outside partners like Center for Youth, Ibero American Action League, Hillside, Help Zones, Student Support Centers, Community School Liaisons, and others that provide social and emotional supports to their scholars before, during, and after a crisis. The Student Support Services can offer supports to buildings as well after the building level supports have been utilized or in partnership. Please see below for a list and description of some of these services.

For Follow-up Support After a Crisis or for Proactive Work

Vision Statement:

Restorative Practices’ focus on building and maintaining relationships, and responding to and repairing harm among ALL members of a school community. We envision schools where peace, equity, social justice, and academic excellence are achieved through a collaborative effort of all school-community members to engage in restorative practices.

Restorative Discussion:

A restorative approach to help those harmed by other's actions, as well as responding to challenging behavior consists in asking key questions:

Restorative Questions:

What happened, and what were you thinking at the time?

What have you thought about since?

Who has been affected by what you have done? In what way?

What about this has been hardest for you?

What do you think you need to do to make things as right as possible?

Proactive and Responsive Circles:

Circles can be used for team building and problem-solving. It enables a group to get to know each other, builds inclusion, and allows for the development of mutual respect, trust, sharing, and concern. Circles provide students with opportunities to share their feelings, ideas, and experiences in order to establish relationships and develop social norms on a non-crisis basis. When there is wrongdoing, circles play an active role in addressing the wrong and making things right.

Restorative Meetings/Conferences:

Involves those who have acknowledged causing harm meeting with those they have harmed, seeking to understand each other’s perspective and coming to a mutual agreement that will repair the harm as much as possible. Often all sides bring supporters, who have usually been affected, and have something to say from a personal perspective

Services will be extended to students who are involved in a physical altercation, potentially have a weapon, re-entering school from long-term suspension, or coming home from incarceration.

Student Mediation:

PTP staff will facilitate mediation sessions and conduct follow-up conversations with students and families involving disputes as needed, to be scheduled within 24 hours of District requests.

PTP staff will submit a written report to the District upon completion of the process.

Student Re-Entry:

PTP staff will work in conjunction with the school liaison to develop and implement a safety plan for students re-entering school after a period of absence due to violence.

When possible, PTP staff will be notified by the District at least one week in advance of a reentry date.

Emergencies at School:

At the District's request, PTP will respond to emergency situations to assist in preventing and mitigating the risk of violence among students. PTP staff will conduct ongoing outreach with the schools to identify and address risks.

*Support may include: Preventative, Risk Assessment (emergencies), Dispute Mediation

(Student-Parent-Family), Intervention, Safety Plans, Dispute Follow-up, Conferencing, Circles

School-Community Support