Crisis Response Team
The last decade has brought a dramatic change in the concerns for the safety of school children. Weapons, gangs, intruders, and suicides were once thought to be inner-city problems. Not anymore. School violence is now a main focus of all districts today.
The Escanaba Area Public Schools have taken proactive measures to address the prevention of crisis situations. We have also taken these same measures to implement crisis procedures in all school buildings should a critical incident occur. These procedures define a crisis as "grief or trauma resulting from a critical incident such as death of a student/staff member or an act of violence".
For the past six years, Escanaba Area Schools has had a Crisis Response Team. This trained team consists of school social workers, counselors, nurses, and the school liaison officer. This Crisis Response Team is available to assist staff, students, and families following a crisis situation.
The Role of the Crisis Response Team
- Contact parents or guardians involved in a crisis to discuss information to be released regarding the crisis
- Serve as a resource to teachers who may need assistance informing their classrooms
- Help with small group counseling
- Assist staff and students in making referrals to outside agencies
- Provide community resource information
- The Crisis Response Team may request further assistance from appropriate outside agencies when deemed necessary
