Video: Local Educators Get Crisis Training In Tupelo

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Talking to children when tragic events happen is never an easy thing to do.

That’s why an Alabama-based counseling group made a stop in Tupelo on Thursday.
More than 60 school counselors and principals were in attendance for a crisis management training session.

The training gives them tools needed to better understand grief in their students and how to react if one of their students were to pass away.

“As an administrator, we handle many many events in kids lives. And unfortunately, throughout the years, I’ve had several students that have passed away and this just gives us a plan to help them grieve and deal with the loss,” said Steven Havens, the Principal of Guntown Middle School.

Matthew Bunt works with the Amelia Crisis Center in Birmingham, Alabama. He says one of the most important things he tells educators is to develop a plan on how to deal with crisis situations.

“When they have a plan to go into it with, they feel much more prepared and that allows for a healthier grieving environment for them and the school students,” said Bunt.

Bunt says one of the main points he wants to teach is how important it is to maintain stability, even during times of grief.

“School has to be school. That is provides safety and routine and security for students and so when the whole schedule and the whole thing changes, that is more choas than what it already going on,” added Bunt.

Those in attendance say this is a good way to sharpen their skills and continue learning.

“This is a servant job. This is a servant career, so we want to be able to serve the people that we’re responsible for in every area, not just the education part. We have some tough situations, we want to be able to help them get over them,” said Rodney Spears, Principal of Plantersville Middle School.

This is the first time for the conference. Organizers say they hope to make it available to other schools in Northeast Mississippi.

For resources on grief counseling, visit www.ameliacenter.org

Categories: Local News

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