Top Five Lessons I’ve Learned Working With Schools In A Crisis
I am a Hurricane Andrew Kid. When I was 12, my house – with me and my family in it – was torn apart in a matter of hours, not to mention life as I knew it.
Maybe it was kismet when I happened to answer a phone call from an educator who had just experienced a natural disaster in 2006, roughly 1 month into my new job with NEA HIN.
I wasn’t trained to help, but I did what I could. The most important thing was to listen. I listened and provided a shoulder to lean on. I understood how it felt – what she was going through – and I remembered what was important to me then. I kept thinking to myself, “I don’t want her to feel alone.”
Since then, we’ve done that and more. NEA HIN proactively tries to help NEA members, locals and states be better prepared for a crisis. The Top 5 Things I’ve Learned:
- Don’t Wait For A Wake Up Call
There is zero reason to not be prepared for a school crisis. Are you prepared? Is your school prepared? If you’re not 100% sure the answer is yes, please look into your school’s safety plan. What are the gaps? How can you help? - Keep Thinking About Crisis Response
Let’s say there is a crisis/emergency in your school. What’s the first thing you do? What if it’s raining? What if there is construction nearby? What if the PA system is down? Where will the buses park? You’re not supposed to think of everything and every variable. I’m suggesting that the return on your investment (ROI) of thinking about preparing, reacting, responding to a crisis situation is very high. The more you think of the little things, the better off you’ll be. - Collaboration Is Key
It takes a team of people with knowledge of the school – working together – to prepare for a crisis. Everyone from Administrators to Education Support Professionals to Classroom Educators to First Responders to Parents through local business owners/community groups should be involved, not just to prepare, but so everyone is on the same page. Not one of those groups can go it alone. Build a coalition of interested people and form a crisis response team in your school/community. Don’t forget to keep substitutes in the loop. - Practice Pays Off
Only 1 way to know if you’re really ready: practice. I can’t speak more highly of practicing, collecting data, evaluating how you did. What should you change? What did you do well? What needs to be improved? There is no substitute for practice. Practice different scenarios during different times of the year to make sure your plan is ready for the variables that affect schools. - It’s Never Too Late To Start
There is no time like now. As we approach the summer, have a goal of putting something in place by back-to-school. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be a step in the right direction. We have resources that can help. Anything is better than nothing.
Is Coffee Your Drink?
Caffeine is a stimulant; it makes us more alert and can give a sometimes much-needed boost of energy. But too much caffeine can also cause unpleasant effects that may be more serious in some people. Healthy adults can probably manage 200-400 mg of caffeine a day safely. That is the equivalent of 2 to 4 cups of coffee. Some people may be more sensitive to caffeine than others. Pregnant and nursing women should limit their caffeine consumption. Some medications may interact with caffeine so check with your doctor or pharmacist about any medications you are taking.
Caffeine is an addictive substance. This means that your body will develop tolerance and you may find that you need to raise the amount of caffeine you drink to achieve the same levels of alertness or energy. Because caffeine is a stimulant, people who consume more than 400 mg a day may find that they develop a range of symptoms including:
- Insomnia
- Nervousness
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Stomach upset
- Fast heartbeat
- Muscle tremors
These symptoms can be reversed if you reduce your caffeine consumption. But remember, because caffeine is addictive you may want to cut back slowly to avoid withdrawal symptoms such as headaches. Too much caffeine can also leave you dehydrated, so it’s important to also drink water when consuming caffeinated beverages. If you want to know more about the caffeine levels in your drinks, the Mayo Clinic provides information on the caffeine levels of coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks.
Reprinted from NEA Today, Winter 2012