Now that the school year has begun, public health experts with the One for all Missouri campaign and trauma-informed experts with Alive and Well Communities would like to share the following reminders to help school communities adapt to the emotional impacts of the pandemic.
- Returning to school during the pandemic is a big transition for everyone, and this transition is complicated by grief and trauma.
- Trauma is an event – or series of events – that overwhelm our ability to cope in a healthy manner.
- Grief is the emotional response to a loss or a change.
- The losses of normalcy, financial security, food security, and connections to friends and family members can cause grief.
- Parents and teachers may experience grief and loss because their students will not be able to experience some school traditions or milestones.
- Grief and trauma limit our ability to cope with additional stress in a healthy way.
- When we become overwhelmed, we may act out, shut down, or freeze.
- There is no typical reaction to trauma and grief. Individuals may experience different emotional reactions at different times.
- We should all be prepared to be especially patient and empathetic with ourselves and people in our school community.
- All these feelings are normal. You can help the people around you by validating their feelings.
- Students, parents, and educators should not be expected to operate at the same level they did before the pandemic. We should not pressure ourselves or others to ignore these feelings or “move on” too quickly.
For more information about how community members and schools can respond to COVID-19 through the trauma lens, visit awcommunities.org/covid19-response. And for more information about how to #stopthespread and prepare for a healthy school year, visit oneforallmo.com.
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