The primary purpose of this DCPS Crisis Response Handbook is to assist school staff and administration in managing school crises in a universal, consistent, and appropriate manner. This manual is intended to create and foster a proactive approach to potential crises in schools. It prepares the total school community to cope with the possible impact of a destabilizing occurrence. What makes this manual especially valuable is that it can be applied and adapted to the particular culture and organizational structure of each school.

This handbook includes suggested procedures and resources to guide the School Crisis Team. All responses to crisis situations promote the school system's goal of a safe and orderly learning environment by reducing the impact of grief and loss that interferes with the normal school functioning and the learning process.

Materials compiled in this handbook were adapted from resources used in Howard County Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, DC Department of Mental Health – School Mental Health Program, as well as past DC Public Schools Crisis Response Handbooks.