Crisis Management Plan
*Revised 10/21/13
Rationale
The Augusta School Department believes that the psychological and physiological health and
safety of pupils and staff is of the highest importance in an effective learning environment.
Plan
Consistent with this rationale, it is the goal of the Augusta School Department (ASD) to provide
direction, support, coordination of resources and effective communication to students, staff
and community in the event of an incident which might impact the learning environment.
These incidents could include, but are not limited to the death of a student or faculty member
and car or school bus accidents.
Plan Implementation
Each building will have a Building Crisis Team. The District will have a District Crisis Team with
all schools represented. All members of the District Crisis Team and Building Crisis Teams will
be trained in plan implementation. The ASD staff will be briefed annually on the existence and
function of the team. This will occur in September of each year. The District Crisis Team will
meet three times during the year unless called upon to deal with a district crisis. Building Teams
will meet at least three times per year.
District Crisis Team:
Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent (Chair), Principals, and School Counselors
Early Information People:
Donna Madore, Rick Ray, Chuck Hinds
Building Crisis Team:
Principal, School Counselors and other designees
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PROCEDURES
A. Initial Crisis Response
Superintendent (or designee) will enact the initial notification system (phone burst or phone
tree) to notify the District Crisis Team of crisis.
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Phase 1: 6:00 AM (or time designated by Superintendent or designee) - Convene a
meeting of the Building Crisis Team at impacted building (s). Early Information People
(Donna Madore, Chair of the District Crisis Team, Rick Ray, School Counselor at Lincoln,
Chuck Hinds, School Counselor at Cony) from the District Crisis Team will also attend this
meeting. The building principal, building team and Early Information People will
determine the need for any or all of the District Crisis team members.
Phase 2: 7:00 AM (or time designated by Superintendent or designee) – Convene a
meeting of the District Crisis Team at the Superintendent’s office (minus members from
the affected building). The Early Information People will report on the crisis and identify
needs of affected school.
Phase 3: District Crisis Team members go either to: own school to report out and check
on own building or go to affected building to help.
B. Guidelines to Crisis Procedures
1. Police, other community members, and/or staff will notify the Superintendent regarding
the incident.
2. The Superintendent will:
a. Verify the facts with the reporting party and/or family member.
b. Enact the phone tree or phone burst as soon as possible to set up a planning
meeting with the District Crisis Team to establish an “Alert” or “Crisis” situation
and formulate a beginning plan.
c. Be the only spokesperson to the press.
d. Will take into account the family’s wishes regarding confidentiality.
3. The District Crisis Team will meet at the Superintendent’s office at 7:00 AM (or
designated time) to gather information, identify individuals requested for support at
affected school and plan what needs to be done at the other schools in a timely manner.
A crisis coordinator will be designated to work closely with the principal in following the
procedures.
A space/support manager will be assigned to designate space and establish a referral
system for students/staff that need support.
A break room/space will be designated for the crisis team members.
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4. Principal, or designee, of affected building, in collaboration with the crisis coordinator
will:
a. Inform affected building staff of the incident, through a phone tree or
communication as appropriate.
b. Formulate a plan for inclusion of the appropriate building teams.
c. Prepare a fact sheet with suggestions to the staff for discussion purposes.
d. Create an announcement for students and parents of the affected building.
e. Consult with the family to determine needs and provide assistance.
f. Discuss intervention procedures for affected buildings(s).
5. The Principal, or designee, of each building involved is responsible for informing his/her
staff of the incident. The Principal, or designee will do the following as appropriate:
a. Hold a staff meeting to apprise staff of the situation. This briefing will include
secretaries for the purpose of fielding phone calls.
b. Discuss the situation including specific procedures for the day.
c. Introduce school personnel who will be involved, including an explanation of the
role and function of the crisis team.
d. Inform staff that crisis team members will be on hand to work with classes or
individuals in designated rooms.
e. Inform staff of the referral system for student and/or staff needing extra help
from a crisis team member.
f. Set assignment of crisis team members to homerooms where requested by staff.
g. Prepare homeroom teachers to make an announcement to students. Teachers
will read fact sheet to students. Fact sheet of specific information will be passed
out. The school intercom will not be used. The Principal will extend the class
period if needed.
h. Request staff and teachers to monitor any changes in staff/student behavior and
notify appropriate personnel if additional services are needed.
i. Set expectation that careful attendance will be taken throughout the day.
Parents will receive prompt notice should their child leave school due to the
crisis.
j. The Principal and Superintendent shall determine if notification of the incident
shall be sent home. The purpose is to inform the parent(s) of the facts of the
incident, the actions taken by the school, and to list possible sources of
assistance.
k. Establish a meeting at the end of the day as a support system for staff.
6. The District Crisis Team will meet at the Superintendent’s office or designated space, in
an “end-of- the-day” debriefing to process the day’s events, evaluate the effectiveness
of the activities conducted within the school, and make any further plans, including
plans for funeral attendance, following day needs, etc.
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7. This is a 72- hour response plan. If we encounter a crisis requiring intervention beyond
72 hours, the district will seek outside support.
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