NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Nashville educators are working to ensure schools have the proper resources to support students experiencing grief, recognizing that loss can affect children at any age and take many forms beyond death.
School counselors at Percy Priest Elementary are leading efforts to better equip teachers with the skills and language needed to help students navigate difficult emotional experiences.
"In my 12 years as a school counselor, I've had two students die. So, just having this resource we didn't have before... would just be an extra added layer of support for all the students in the classroom, because the teachers are the first line of defense," said Jessi Kelley.
Grief presents one of the biggest challenges students may face, and counselors emphasize it extends beyond death to include separation from loved ones or fallouts with friends.
Until recently, educators received minimal training on how to address grief in the classroom.
"When I found this grant, which really aims to fix that, I was thrilled, because we ask a lot of our teachers, but this didn't feel like an extra thing. It kind of felt like equipping them for something they already do each day," said Kristin Keiper-Berneman, school counselor.
According to Judi's House/JAG Institute, approximately 1 in 13 children will experience the loss of a parent or sibling by age 18.
Keiper-Berneman sought to provide staff with effective words and activities to better connect with students during difficult times.
"Grief can often look like a learning disability... It's hard to take in information, or to hold it, or to process it. So that's absolutely part of the challenge, is that it can look like other things," she said.
To address this need, Keiper-Berneman secured the New York Life Grief-Sensitive School grant, making Percy Priest the first Metro Nashville Public Schools institution to receive this support.
"A lot of it is knowing what words to use and what things to say that aren't that helpful, but we've always heard them, so we kind of keep saying them. A lot of it has to do with language," she said.
The grant funds grief resources and expressive activities, including the Heart's Garden project.
"It just means that anytime a student or a staff member has a loss, they can paint a stone... they have the choice to either place it in heart's garden or take it home with them," said Keiper-Berneman.
From losing a pet to losing a loved one, counselors and teachers aim to provide consistent support for students experiencing grief.
"Grief is inevitable," said Kelley. "I think for teachers, having this extra resource it can help them to have that better connection with students."
The counselors are sharing information about the program and the one-time grant to encourage other schools to apply, noting that teachers report the resources are already making a positive difference.
This story was reported and written by <i>Kelsey Gibbs</i> and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Happy Birthday to the YMCA of Middle TN. They just celebrated their 150th anniversary! A lot has changed with the Y over the years. I have personally seen some of that firsthand when I was a long-time board member at the Northwest Family Y and part of their Black Achievers Program. Forrest Sanders has a look back.
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