EFFINGHAM, SC (WBTW) – A Pee Dee elementary school received a $500 grant aimed at providing teachers with the resources and tools they need to support students dealing with the loss of a family member or friend.
Savannah Grove Elementary School was awarded the grant by the New York Life Foundation after being approached by the organization’s state office to become a grief-sensitive school. The goal is to help the school come up with a bereavement support plan. Teachers will be able to access websites that contain seminars and training videos that will coach them in helping grieving students. Studies show students who aren’t given the emotional support to grieve are at risk for behavioral issues, emotional stress,and poor grades at school. Krystal Fuentes, an art teacher at Savannah Grove, says she thinks the program will benefit everyone at the school and positively impact teacher-student relationships.
“The last thing we want to see is a student fail because they didn’t trust someone at the school. We don’t want any of our children to fail especially if they’ve lost someone.“
The program will teach administrators how to effectively talk to grieving children, including what to say and what not to say. It will also help teachers and counselors anticipate grief triggers and help them recognize the signs of behaviors of youth struggling after loss. Another goal is to help children preserve memories about their loved one.
