The process of organizing a school-based crisis team begins with the site's leadership. Someone must be given the responsibility of building the team. That person begins by identifying those who have formal roles that they must play during a crisis, those with specific skills that are needed, and any others who may be especially motivated to be part of such a team.

The next step is to set a meeting time and invite the potential members. To increase the likelihood that the meeting is focused and productive, it helps to do some pre-session structuring which includes the following:

• Asking others to play a role during the meeting (e.g., meeting facilitator, time keeper, note taker)

• Providing copies of the site's existing crisis response plans and some general material to read on the subject of a school-based crisis response

During the meeting, it helps to use worksheets that focus the discussion on key topics and decisions about task, assignments, and timelines.

The purpose of the meeting is to review the site's existing crisis response plans and discuss a variety of related matters.

The following is a sample agenda for the first meeting.

Focus on Planning

What are our roles and functions as team members?

1. Meeting facilitator reviews the key team roles and functions.

2. Decide who will take each role (fill in worksheet below). If there are enough people, designate a back up for each position. Discuss chain of command: Who will be in charge? Who will be next? If these two were not available, who would be third? Enter all necessary contact information (e.g., home numbers, cell phone numbers, beepers).

   Role/Function	Name (A person may serve more than one role/function.)	Chain of Command (Who's in charge? Back-ups?)	Contact Information
   Team leader
   Administrative liaison
   Staff liaison
   Communications liaison
   Media liaison
   First aid coordinators (medical, psychological)
   Communications coordinator
   Crowd management coordinator
   Evacuation / transportaion coordinator

   Click on the following link to view and print this worksheet in Microsoft Word: MS Word (24K).

3. Discuss the latest crisis at the school. If one doesn't come to mind, use the possibility of a car accident outside school involving a student and observed by many students and parents. Each team member should assume his or her role in talking through the specifics of what to do. Brainstorm, with no discussion until the exercise is finished. Then take five minutes to highlight good ideas and suggestions for action.

4. Plan on a way for each team member to inform others at the school about the crisis team membership and roles. For example, who will talk to the faculty, the parent center coordinator, the office staff, and the PTA?

5. Prepare for the next meeting, which will focus on action.

Reference

Center for Mental Health Services at UCLA (2000). A Resource Aid Packet on Responding to a Crisis at a School. Los Angeles, CA: Author.