School crises can have a lasting psychological impact on students. But school crises may also affect families and surrounding communities. For many people, schools represent a safe haven. Therefore, when a violent act occurs in a school, it is especially devastating. Crisis workers who respond to a school crisis must keep this in mind as they assess survivors. They also must be aware of cultural factors that may come into play. Many of today's schools include a broad array of ethnic cultures and primary languages spoken. When a crisis occurs, crisis workers must be prepared to deal with not only the variance in languages spoken, but the differences in how various cultures accept or acknowledge the need for psychological support.

In this Discussion, you will analyze the cultural and ecological impact of a school crisis with which you are familiar. Then, you will describe at least one crisis intervention strategy or skill you might have used to respond.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review this week's resources related to School Crises, focusing on topics such as posttraumatic stress (i.e., school shootings), adolescent suicide prevention, and school crisis intervention teams.

• Think about a school crisis with which you are familiar (Note: It could be one that you heard about in the news or one that occurred in or near your community.

• Reflect on the cultural and ecological impact of the school crisis. Focus on how the school crisis affected families and surrounding communities.

• Identify at least one crisis intervention strategy and/or skill that you might have used to respond to the school crisis you identified. Reflect on how this intervention strategy or skill might address the cultural and ecological impact of the crisis.