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Abstract
In this study, the researcher used a generic qualitative approach to answer the question: How do certified K–8 teachers describe their experience with student death(s)? Death is a universal experience correlated with grief. Therefore, it is fair to deduce that teachers mourn and experience loss-associated emotions when a student dies. However, the teachers' perceptions and experiences of the impact of student death are limited in research. The purposeful sample of certified K–8 teachers who experienced student death informed the study. Analysis of the ten teachers' semi-structured interviews revealed that teachers have fortitude, experience grief, and need resources to cope and manage student death. The study results support previous literature and contribute to an increased understanding of teachers managing the school crisis of student death. Gaining awareness of how teachers cope with this traumatic experience, framed by attachment theory, is vital for school counselors and educational stakeholders to comprehend. Understanding the effect student death has on teachers aids educational stakeholders in developing beneficial interventions, policies, and professional development training created to reduce the adverse effects of student death.
