TLC Faculty
Dave Opalewski, MA
Dave Opalewski has
been a classroom teacher for twenty-five years and an at-risk counselor
for 8 years. Dave has taught at the elementary, middle, high school,
and college levels. He has recently retired from the Bridgeport/Spaulding
Community Schools and is presently a full-time instructor at Central
Michigan University in the Teacher Education and Professional Development
Department. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Masters of Arts
Degree from Central Michigan University. Dave's Masters Degree is in
Secondary Education with a Health Education emphasis. His Masters Thesis
is titled "Death
Education: Guidelines For The Classroom Teacher." Dave has
taught Death Education for Delta College and Death and Dying and Suicide
Prevention for Central Michigan University. He is the author
of 5 books titled "Confronting Death in the School Family," "Suicide
Prevention for Schools and Communities." “Adolescent Grief
Issues: Help for the Caring Adult,” “Guiding the Grieving
Child,” and “Root Issues of Student Behavior Problems.”
Dave also has three years experience working in a funeral
home helping the family and friends of the deceased cope with their
loss. He has been a member and has led crisis teams for schools who have
lost students and staff due to illness, accidents, and suicide. His experiences
of what works and what doesn't work, plus a desire to share this information,
has encouraged him to help create "Crises Response to Tragedy," and "Suicide
Prevention Programs."
He has also coached interscholastic athletics for
twenty-two years and has developed many quality relationships with
students and parents in the communities he has worked. Although teams he
has coached have won numerous honors, he is more fulfilled by the quality
of relationships that has developed between players, coaches, parents,
and the community.
Dave can be reached at griefrecovery@chartermi.net