ABSTRACT
Dealing with the emotional reactions of children, staff, and parents to death and bereavement is far more common than many new school administrators anticipate. Deaths in a school community are often treated as major news stories. The public information officer should be able to refer to previously designed policies to cover press conferences and the degree to which the press will be allowed to speak to students and faculty. Memorials will often spontaneously appear at the loss of a student or faculty member. The school should have a policy regarding when memorials will be removed and what will happen to these treasured objects. School communities are a good place to provide ongoing support to grieving students and parents. Faculty should be trained to identify the signs that students need help in managing their grief.
