Seminar | Managing crises

“Managing School Crises: From Theory to Application” is the theme of a fire and police chaplain training program at Hermitage Fire Station 3 in Hermitage, Pa. Sessions took place Monday and today.

Dr. Tina Swanson Brookes: The speaker was staff-development coordinator on a U.S. Department of Education Emergency/Crisis Management for Schools grant and developed ASSIST (Assisting Students and Staff in Stressful Times) protocol for school. She co-founded The Academy: National Institute for Crisis Response Training.

Among participants: Anne Bott, Courtney Abruzzino and Mindy DePietro, who all work in guidance in Boardman school district, were among nearly 60 people at the seminar. The district is forming a crisis team, and Abruzzino is on the building team at Glenwood Middle School. “We want to know how to interact with parents and students in a crisis,” Bott said. “We want to be prepared if something should happen,” Abruzzino said. “We want to be confident in what we’re doing,” DePietro said.

Information: International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Inc. at www.icisf.org.