Building understanding, confidence, and practical strategies for supporting students experiencing grief and loss.
Grief can look different across ages and developmental stages. Educators may notice changes — increases or decreases — in:
Grief may also become more visible around anniversaries, holidays, or other meaningful dates.
When grief goes unaddressed, it can show up as:
When all stakeholders — administrators, mental health professionals, teachers, staff, parents/caregivers, and students — are fully grief-informed, they share a common understanding of grief and the whole community can benefit with:
Grief isn’t only about death. Students may experience loss through many common life experiences, including:
The Collaborative worked with a National Task Force to develop guidelines for effective grief education. The Task Force includes:
These practices should be reviewed and incorporated before any teaching begins.
Effective grief education starts with:
Click any stop along the road to explore that step.
Step 1 of 5
The first step is developing a shared understanding of loss and grief, and recognizing the many ways they may be experienced and expressed within your school community.
To help your school build this foundation, we've provided the following resources on the NJGC website:
Step 2 of 5
Once there is an awareness of how loss and grief can impact students and staff, schools can deepen their understanding through professional development and training.
To fulfill the mandate, the members of the NJGC offer professional development to staff and a comprehensive curriculum for students, which you can learn more about here.
Select centers also provide training to:Step 3 of 5
We recommend designating two or more staff members to become the point people in crafting grief-informed policies and procedures for your school.
This can look like:Step 4 of 5
You don't have to do this alone! Our centers are available to provide trainings, workshops, resources, and more as your school works to become grief-informed. Schools should never feel they need to create new practices alone.
A continued partnership with your local bereavement center:Step 5 of 5
Childhood bereavement rates have increased over the past two decades, highlighting the growing need for grief-informed education, support, and resources.
Research consistently shows that grief can affect students’ academic performance, emotional well-being, social relationships, and overall school experience.
Grief-informed schools and communities help ensure that students do not have to navigate loss alone. In these communities, educators are better equipped to respond with understanding and support and students are aware of resources and skills to support themselves and their peers.
Approximately,
in New Jersey will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18, representing 151,000+ children across New Jersey. Of these children:
Projected to Experience The Death of a Parent
Projected to Experience The Death of a Sibling
Source: 2026 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM)
All NJGC member organizations provide professional development and training for all stakeholders to get you one step closer to becoming a grief-informed school. Submit our contact form to inquire about trainings and other professional development opportunities. A member of our team will reach out and find the best center for your needs.
The coalition has come together to create curriculum and lesson-planning resources for all qualified schools. Professional development training is required to receive access to these materials.
To get started, download and view our sample curriculum and then get in touch!
The Language of Loss: Creating a Grief-Positive Culture is a powerful, arts-driven educational experience developed through The ECHO initiative in partnership with Common Ground, Stephy’s Place, LEAD U, Jaded Gordon, and Pamela Scarpa. Designed on the belief that grief must be experienced and understood, not just taught, this 90-minute assembly helps school communities build empathy, connection, and emotional awareness in a deeply human way.
For more information, or to book an assembly, please contact Lynn Snyder at lynn@commongroundgriefcenter.org.
For general support about the mandate and consultations on how to implement the mandate, fill out our contact form and a member of our team will reach out to you!
Are you grieving and looking for support?
All member organizations are here to support you through connections to grief organizations, presenter and speaker referrals, and family/caregiver resources.
Hear from educators, families, and community members who have experienced the power of grief-informed support in action.
