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    How to Handle the Death of a Student, Faculty, or Staff Member
    How to Handle the Death of a Student, Faculty, or Staff Member
    How to Handle the Death of a Student, Faculty, or Staff Member
    Ebook36 pages31 minutes

    How to Handle the Death of a Student, Faculty, or Staff Member

    By Jim Burgett

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    About this ebook

    It's inevitable that a school administrator will have to deal with the death of a student, faculty, or staff member at some point during their career, and that each situation will be different in nature and scope. When that happens, there isn't much time to develop a plan or to research options for handling the often complicated situation. What do you do if the family makes a request to hold a service in the school and it has never been done before? How do you ensure that you are notified of the death early enough to adequately plan? What are some common guidelines for memorials, services, and involvement with the funeral director? What is the role of the administrator in each situation?

    This booklet-style digital report is designed to give you simple guidelines that you can quickly refer to in times of need. It will provide:

    (1) steps of action, lists of responsibilities for various staff members, a model policy, and a clear definition of what a school administrator should and shouldn't do.
    (2) suggestions on how to be proactive with community services.
    (3) information about dozens of other, important things.

    In short, it will provide key information required to bring respect, closure, and comfort during the events surrounding that unfortunate passing.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGordon Burgett
    Release dateApr 13, 2012
    ISBN9781476423319
    How to Handle the Death of a Student, Faculty, or Staff Member
    Author

    Jim Burgett

    Jim Burgett is a veteran educator, nationally recognized education speaker, and consultant. He was named the “Illinois Superintendent of the Year” by the American Association of School Administrators and "Administrator of the Year" by the Illinois Association for Educational Office Professionals. Burgett has received numerous honors and recognition for his leadership and skills as a motivator. Jim serves on many boards for the State of Illinois, various professional organizations, the Editorial Board for an educational publisher, and several community organizations. He is the recipient of the Award of Excellence from the Illinois State Board of Education, was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International, and was a finalist for Teacher of the Year in Illinois. After earning a B.S. degree in education, with a minor in chemistry, at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Jim earned his M.S. and C.A.S. degrees at Northern Illinois University. Jim has continued his educational training and currently writes and presents Administrative Academies for several states. Education has been the cornerstone of his career. Jim has been a teacher of grades five through twelve and a principal of elementary, middle school, and high school. During his 38-year tenure, Jim has served as the Superintendent of the Elizabeth Community Unit School District, the River Ridge Community Unit School District, and the Highland Community Unit School District, all in Illinois. Jim retired from the Blue-Ribbon Highland District in 2004. He has frequently published in professional journals, speaks across the country to a variety of organizations, and has keynoted most major educational conferences in Illinois. Jim Burgett is known for his practical leadership. He consults many districts, leads strategic planning sessions, and has been a leader in such areas as school construction, administrative standards, and effective teaching strategies. Jim Burgett's wife, Barbara, is a medical records specialist for a senior citizen service complex in Highland. Jim and Barb have three children and five grand children. Their oldest child is Stacey, is a nurse-administrator at an area hospital. She is married to Brian Zobrist, a medical technician. Stacey and Brian have three children, Rachel, Andrew, and Grace. The second daughter is Jennifer, a former high school Spanish teacher. Her husband Mike is a Regional Specialist for a communications hardware company. Jennifer and Mike have two children, Nick and Paige. The youngest Burgett child is Doug, recently graduated from the University of Illinois as a graphic artist in computers and media. In addition to being a co-author, in 2003, of What Every Superintendent and Principal Needs to Know, Jim participated in the "Excellence in Education for Superintendents and Principals" report series by writing "How to Handle the Death of a Student, Faculty, or Staff Member" in 2004. Jim participated in the revising and updating of the second edition of What Every Superintendent and Principal Needs to Know in 2007 and both co-authored the book The Perfect School (with Jim Rosborg and Max McGee) and wrote his own book, Teachers Change Lives 24/7: 150 ways to do it right, all in the same year!

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      Book preview

      How to Handle the Death of a Student, Faculty, or Staff Member - Jim Burgett

      How to

      Handle the Death

      of a

      Student, Faculty,

      or

      Staff

      Member

      Jim Burgett

      Copyright © 2012

      Education Communication Unlimited

      at Smashwords

      For more information, please contact:

      ECU, P.O. Box 845, Novato, CA 94947

      (800) 563-1454

      It can happen to any administrator—and it will stick in your mind forever, especially the first time, like when President Kennedy was shot or when the planes hit the Twin Towers.

      It has happened to me several times. Every time is different and every set of circumstances varies. Yet there are specific guidelines, certain things to remember, a reliable procedure that guides what an administrator does and does not do. To prepare this report I researched dozens of documents and asked many administrators and experts in the field for suggestions so I could devise the guidelines that follow about how to handle the death of a student, staff member, faculty, or even someone related to the operation of the school.

      Let me start with a true incident that demonstrates many of the points made later.

      Case Study

      I was in my car headed for an early morning meeting about 90 miles south of my school district. I had left the house at 5 a.m. I was going to pick up another administrator at his house en route about an hour later. The call to my home came at 5:15. Since this was before cell phones were popular, my wife called the home of the other administrator with a message for me to call a certain number immediately. When I pulled up to his house, he came outside without a coat. Odd since it was cold and light rain was just beginning to fall—a few degrees lower and it would be snow.

      Come on in, he said. You have to make a call.

      When he handed me the note I immediately recognized the number of the county sheriff. Answering my call, the dispatcher asked me to hold for a minute. She patched me directly to the sheriff’s home.

      Jim, I have bad news. Two of your students were killed this morning about two o’clock. We just notified the parents. I’m sure very few kids will know anything about it when they get to school."

      He gave me the names and a few sketchy details. He said that he would have a more detailed report later in the day or tomorrow morning, and he would call me. (A godsend advantage of having a good working relationship with

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