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Administrative Procedure 182: Tragic Events Response

Related References

Administrative Procedure (AP) 103 Management of Personal Information - Student; AP160 Access to School Premises; AP175 Reporting Hazards, Incidents and Occupational Illness; AP195 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy; AP198 Flags; AP370 Ontario Student Record; AP570 Property and Facilities Alterations and Maintenance
 
 
A tragic event is any situation faced by individuals which causes them to experience strong emotional reactions that may interfere with their ability to function at the time of the incident or later. This administrative procedure is activated when a tragic event involves an AMDSB student or staff member of a particular school/department, the task of coping with such events is shared by both the School and District Tragic Event Response Support Team (TERST).

Developmentally children and youth vary in ability and experience to understand grief and loss and may rely upon adults to help them organize a variety of thoughts, feelings, and emotions. In such situations, regulated health professionals from the AMDSB Mental Health & Well-Being Team have received specific training and offer expertise to inform, lead, and offer a standardized tragic event response in the school setting. This policy ensures the Tragic Event Response Support Team (TERST) response:
  • Is sensitive to the needs of students and staff, through a trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach, protecting the needs and confidence of the impacted family and friends, while taking into consideration the uniqueness of individual tragic events;
  • Assesses the impact of the event on staff and students including identification of those who may require specialized or more intensive support/interventions;
  • Supports individuals who have been impacted by grief and loss through an evidence-informed approach and ensures consistent communication to staff, students, and families about support and services available in the school and community at large;
  • Maintains the ongoing and normal activities and routines of the school community to the greatest degree possible.
Foundational to this plan, is respect for the wishes of the immediate family in applying these guidelines; however, such wishes will not preclude the need of the school to deal as effectively as possible with student/staff grief and loss in a crisis or tragic event.

1.0 Guidelines for Responding to Tragic Events
 
The Director of Education has developed this administrative procedure to provide guidelines for school personnel when responding to situations of grief and loss within the school community related to crisis and tragic events.

2.0 School Procedures
 
2.1 In the event of a crisis or tragic event, staff are to contact their direct supervisor to inform them of the event. The supervisor will contact their school or department Superintendent and/or Superintendent of Learning Services for further direction and next steps.
 
2.2 The TERST Resource Guide outlines procedures that should be followed and resources that may be utilized when a tragic event occurs.

2.3 Annually, Principals shall develop and review membership for their School Tragic Event Response Support Team. Each September, the Superintendent of Learning Services will distribute a shared spreadsheet requiring schools to identify the members of their School TERST and share it with the Manager of Mental Health Services/Mental Health Lead.

2.4 In the case of a tragic event, Principals will consult with their school Superintendent to determine if the District TERST will be engaged. If required, the school Superintendent and the Superintendent of Learning Services will engage the Manager of Mental Health Services/Mental Health Lead to initiate District TERST support.

2.5 When a tragic event occurs, the Superintendent of Learning Services, or designate, shall notify the Director's office, the Communications Manager, Senior Staff, Trustees, and Ministry of Education as required.
 
Revised February 2026