I recently shared with my 9th grade health class one of my favorite children’s books, My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon. This book is one of my favorite representations of grief, and we all agreed that more people should read it. (You can listen to it here: My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon). After reading this together, it reminded me how heavy that grief can feel, especially for the students who are walking our hallways with their ever-present “grief dragon.”

Navigating grief is difficult, especially for children and adolescents who are also navigating their normal developmental and social changes. Grief is an overwhelming journey that can impact a teenager’s sense of identity, routine, emotional well-being, and of course, academics.

Oftentimes, navigating grief while attending school and trying to focus on academic success is like walking through a fog—one moment, it’s hard to focus, the next it feels like nothing will ever be “clear” again, the path forward seems unclear, and sometimes the fog lifts for brief moments but clouds in again without warning. However, we know that with time, support, coping strategies, and consistency, the fog can lighten, and eventually lift, for our students. 

Trinity is committed to fostering a supportive and empathetic community that helps walk alongside our students who are grieving and helps provide the tools they need to be successful academically in the midst of grief. Here are some ways that we can help support students who are grieving: 

The best way that we can support students is knowing what is going on in regards to their grief/loss. If your student has suffered a significant loss please reach out to the Wellness Director or Head of School. At that point, the Wellness Director will help communicate this loss to students’ teachers and help formulate a plan to provide any additional academic support, time for breaks, and check-ins with the Wellness Director or other staff.

The Wellness Director can provide one-on-one support to students who are grieving and help them as they navigate their grief journey through coping skill building, talking, providing a quiet place to catch up on school work, and other modalities of support. When appropriate, students can also participate in peer-based support groups or lunch bunches as needed to help discuss grief.

The Wellness Director can provide support as your family navigates local or virtual resources. If you are looking for additional support related to grief, please reach out to Jessi Morgan at jmorgan@trinitymidland.org. You can always find our local and online resources, as well as our recommended book lists on the “My Trinity Page” on the Health and Wellness tab. 

Resources for supporting students who are grieving: