Responding to the unthinkable: School crisis response and recovery

It’s not if but when.

A string of high-profile traumatic events spanning nearly 20 years has proven unequivocally that school crisis response is not a choice; it is inevitable. Although most schools won’t experience a tragedy as unthinkable and horrific as Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., did one year ago this month, every school will face crises of varying magnitude. The real choice schools have is how prepared they will be to respond in their moment of crisis and in the immediate days and weeks that follow, and then to the myriad factors that will determine their long-term recovery.

Responding to crises and improving school safety are critical to the overall mission of learning at school. Considering these efforts as a cornerstone to school planning, much like planning an academic curriculum, will position schools and districts for effective responses to crises of varying magnitudes.