School Outreach

WinterSpring offers several options for bringing bereavement awareness, education and support to schools in Jackson County.

Download a brocuhre in PDF format

Teen Grief Groups

Our school-based teen grief groups offer a combination of education and support for students who have suffered a loss through death. Typically six to eight weeks in duration, they are facilitated by a WinterSpring Specialist and a WinterSpring volunteer or school faculty or staff member.

Community Education

Classroom Guest Speakers

WinterSpring offers lively guest speakers on topics related to loss, grief, death and dying, for Health, Science, Psychology, Natural Helpers, other classes and school assemblies. The speaker works with the requesting teacher or student to schedule the visit, discuss the desired presentation focus, and arrange for photocopying of WinterSpring literature for class handouts.

Volunteer Education Series

Each spring and fall, we offer a 28-hour comprehensive bereavement training designed to educate WinterSpring volunteers and the public about issues of loss, grief, death and dying. We welcome faculty and staff to this, our most extensive training.

Professional Trainings

Our specialists customize professional trainings on death and bereavement related topics. Some examples of topics pertinent to schools are teen grief, facilitating teen groups, how to help the griever, grief at school, and family dynamics during a loss.

On-site Consultation and Support

In the event of a student, faculty or staff member's death, a WinterSpring Specialist may visit the school to provide support.

Such specialists may:

  • assist faculty and staff in continuing their duties in the face of their own grief
  • discuss options for staff-run support systems
  • discuss educational opportunities inherent in the tragedy
  • directly educate and support affected students
  • educate and support students in helping other students
  • provide literature

Since we do not have a crisis team, visits to schools may take up to one week to arrange.

Phone Consultation and Literature Distribution

We are available for phone consultation and also mail literature suited to individual needs.

Library

WinterSpring maintains a library of death, dying and bereavement resources available on-site to students and staff by appointment.