For Educators: Module 3: Chapter 5: Other considerations after student death: Student belongings and other considerations

Chapter 5: Other considerations after student death

Student belongings and other considerations

What the parent says

Jenny talks about about her experience volunteering at the school following the death of her daughter Phoebe.(3:22)Video transcript

“We just weren’t sure about what to do with Susie’s desk. It was so hard to see it there empty each day. But it also didn’t feel right to just remove it. We talked about it as a class and ultimately decided to keep it in the room but in a less prominent location”. - Teacher

The personal belongings of a student who has died may still be in their desk or locker. There’s no hurry to remove these items, and other students should be asked not to disturb them. You’ll need to discuss with the family what their wishes are about these items. For example, would they like to remove the items themselves or have the school take care of this? Offer the family the option of coming to school during or following school hours, or having someone else, such as a staff member or friends, collect and deliver the items to the family.

Additional considerations

After a student’ death, some additional considerations that may need to be made with family, students, and the broader school board community include:

How will the student be replaced on teams, in bands, in drama productions, in school leadership positions, etc.?

If the student who has died was involved in school athletics, a decision may need to be made about their team sweater or jersey number.

How will grieving students be supported during critical times like final exams and post-secondary application deadlines?

How will all students be supported in the transition? Schools and/or school boards may want to develop a policy to ensure that all students are treated equally.