Brooklyn School Shares a COVID-19 Grief and Loss Resource Kit
by Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School Leadership Team on April 8th 2020
Keywords
leadership, distance learning plans, grief
Few feel fully prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic that is sweeping the world. Indeed, as educators, we cannot ever fully prepare for the loss of a colleague, student, or family member.
Brooklyn LAB has been hit hard by the pandemic, and in the process of trying to make sense of how to support our school community, we greatly appreciated the insights and templates shared by our peer organizations and colleagues. It got us thinking about how we could share some of our experience with other education communities.
“During these most difficult moments, it’s important to have established norms and protocols regarding how to best communicate with and serve our school communities.” - Jonathan Flynn, Manager of Family Engagement and Community Affairs
We hope that no other school community finds themselves in the scenario of dealing with loss due to COVID-19, but because of our experience, our colleagues (with generous contributions from peer organizations) developed a COVID-19 Grief and Loss Resource Kit to help other schools navigate their own community loss.
“The impact of COVID-19 on our students, families, staff, and community members is harsh and unfair, often disproportionately so. We want to support your extended school communities during this time of anxiety, sadness, and grief.” - Greg Rodriguez, High School Director at Brooklyn LAB
“When a loved one is lost, we come together as a village. During social distancing, we can remain emotionally and mentally close through our virtual support: communicating our love and solidarity; listening to families and their wishes; sending care packages or meals; providing resources to cope with grief and trauma: and being a source of stability through the storm." - Cecile Kidd, the Brooklyn LAB Bursar
The COVID-19 Grief and Loss Resource Kit includes the following documents to serve as guides for other school communities that can be adapted to suit their unique environments.
-Guidance on How to Handle the Loss of a Staff Member: Protocol for the communication of the loss of a staff member and appropriate resources to include
-Guidance on How to Handle the Loss of a Student or Parent/Primary Caregiver: Protocol for the communication of the loss of a student or parent/primary caregiver and appropriate resources to include
-Grief and Bereavement Resources: Resources for managing grief, counseling and therapy, self-care, and protecting mental health in the COVID-19 era
-How to Respond to the Loss of a Staff Member or Scholar (During Closure): A remote counseling support plan that identifies social workers and their availability, a universal contact number, and additional procedural guidance
-How to Respond to the Loss of a Scholar’s Family Member (During Closure): Remote counseling support plan that identifies standard procedures for the activation of social workers in the event of the loss of a scholar’s family member
-Letter to Families Communicating the Loss of a Staff Member: Template that includes reflections on the individual’s meaning to the community and information regarding funerals or other services
-Script for Informing Parents/Families of a COVID-19 Death in the School Community: A template for outreach via phone that includes condolences and information on support
-The Social Worker Support Call-Line Protocol: Guidance on how to set up a call line, how to approach and document calls, and resources for ongoing support
-Website Content Template: Information for your website that may help support your school community during this difficult time
-Letter to School Community: Template acknowledging grief and loss, expressing gratitude for commitment to students and families, and overviewing crisis response
Reflections
What we learned/big takeaway
The impact of COVID-19 on our students, families, staff, and community members is harsh and unfair, and often disproportionately impacts low income communities and communities of color. During COVID-19 closures, many school communities are experiencing anxiety, sadness and grief.
It can be extremely helpful to establish norm and protocols to fall back on regarding how to best communicate with and serve our school communities experiencing loss and grief.
When a loved one is lost, the “village” of support becomes even more important.
Social distancing, newly instituted hospital policies, and travel restrictions could make it difficult to say goodbye to a loved one who passes in isolation and to gather for memorial rites.
How do we connect with students, caregivers, and educators through practices and responses that are informed and aware of trauma?
What are the best ways to respond to grief and loss in a manner that maximizes physical and psychological safety, facilitates the survival and recovery of students and families, and supports their ability to thrive?
What are the evidence-based, culturally responsive assessments and treatments for traumatic stress and associated mental health symptoms which might be most impactful in the COVID-19 era?
What can schools do to engage in remote efforts to strengthen the resilience and protective factors of students and families impacted by and vulnerable to trauma?
What we are still figuring out
In the coming days, each of us are likely to feel worried and unnerved as the experience of grief and loss become more widespread. In the face of this concern, we will find ways to support each other as friends and colleagues and find ways to show up for students and families.
Please feel free to reach out if you need anything—we will make sure to connect you to someone who can help, or at the very least, listen.
What I would tell other leaders during this time
Resources
- Brooklyn LAB COVID-19 Grief and Loss Resource Kit
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine is available Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST (800) 950-6264
- NAMI released an extensive list of affordable and free coronavirus pandemic support options, such as 7cups.com, Emotions Anonymous, and warmlines (emotional support lines) nationwide.
- Headspace is an excellent meditation app offering free access to its “Weathering the Storm” section, its workplace toolkit, guided meditations, and exercises for employers and employees.
- Open to hope includes helpful resources, including podcasts.
- Support groups for homelessness, for children who have lost family members and friends, parents who have lost children, and partners who have lost their loved one
- The Center for Complicated Grief, Columbia University
- Coalition to Support Grieving Students, a site specific to educators
- COVID-19 Resource Center, National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
- Helping People With Intellectual Disabilities Cope With Loss
- Autism Speaks: Grief and Bereavement Resources
- Addressing Grief: Brief Facts and Tips, The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
- COVID-19 Pandemic Resources, National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement
- MANAGING STRESS: Tips for Coping with the Stress of COVID-19, Harvard University
- COVID-19 Resources, American Clinical Social Work Association
- The Dougy Center - The National Center for Grieving Children & Families
- Responding to Change & Loss Toolkit, the National Alliance for Grieving Children
- Navigating Children's Grief, Children’s Grief Education Association
- Scholastic Their website provides a wealth of information about children and grief that is specific to educators
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
School background
The mission of Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools (LAB) is to prepare scholars with the academic foundation, digital literacy, and leadership skills necessary to succeed in college and professional life as they grow as ethical leaders.
Brooklyn LAB, named an XQ Super School, is based on the belief that every young person deserves to learn in a school with high expectations for their academic success, no matter where they start. Students are called “scholars,” signaling the high bar the school sets for them and their learning.
School staff are actively building a supportive culture that empowers students, encourages their independence, promotes agency, and teaches them about themselves as learners.
Families are involved in challenging and supporting students, helping them define their learning goals, and outlining a learning path.
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