Dear John T. Nichols’ Community:
I’m writing to you tonight to respond to the elementary school shooting that took place in Newtown, Connecticut earlier Friday morning. My family as well as yours, I am sure, is tearfully watching on as more horrific details come out over the local and national media on TV and on the Internet all weekend long.
Our hearts go out to those students, teachers, and principals who did not return home from school Friday and those families and friends related to the Newtown community. We’ve found no words to fully capture the emotions so many of us are feeling right now.
Tomorrow, on Monday, parents everywhere will send their students to school. Teachers and principals around the world will return to school with the aim of “business as usual” to provide consistency for our children in a time of great tragedy. I am anticipating that much discussion will occur over the weekend in the homes of our families, but Monday may also bring some further questions and need for dialogue. In the interests of home-school transparency, below I will lay out our carefully considerate plans for Monday, December 17th, at the Nichols Middle School.
Before School: I will host an all-staff meeting to offer dialogue amongst our teaching staff and review developmentally appropriate conversation structures for our children. We will also begin to complete a full review of our school safety protocol in place. As a staff, we are fully invested in being comprehensive and thorough in our daily approach, and we are always looking for new ways to be a better and safer school environment for all.
During the School Day: Classrooms have the ability to hold “as needed” team meetings to allow students to talk about their feelings in a developmentally appropriate way. Our guidance staff will offer on-demand guidance appointments throughout the day to talk with students who may be having trouble processing information they may have learned at home. If your child is seen by the guidance staff, we will personally call you (parents) to review our conversation in the best interests of our home-school partnership. *Please be advised that the details of the events in Newtown will not be discussed with any students at any time. Details of what students are aware of are solely at the discretion of each individual family.
After the School Day and During the Weeks That Follow: We will be having more faculty and staff meetings to more thoroughly review our safety plans and manuals. We will not be engaged in a Crisis Drill until some point after the vacation, but please know that we will be ever-vigilant in making sure the Nichols Middle School is safe.
I’m writing to you tonight to respond to the elementary school shooting that took place in Newtown, Connecticut earlier Friday morning. My family as well as yours, I am sure, is tearfully watching on as more horrific details come out over the local and national media on TV and on the Internet all weekend long.
Our hearts go out to those students, teachers, and principals who did not return home from school Friday and those families and friends related to the Newtown community. We’ve found no words to fully capture the emotions so many of us are feeling right now.
Tomorrow, on Monday, parents everywhere will send their students to school. Teachers and principals around the world will return to school with the aim of “business as usual” to provide consistency for our children in a time of great tragedy. I am anticipating that much discussion will occur over the weekend in the homes of our families, but Monday may also bring some further questions and need for dialogue. In the interests of home-school transparency, below I will lay out our carefully considerate plans for Monday, December 17th, at the Nichols Middle School.
Before School: I will host an all-staff meeting to offer dialogue amongst our teaching staff and review developmentally appropriate conversation structures for our children. We will also begin to complete a full review of our school safety protocol in place. As a staff, we are fully invested in being comprehensive and thorough in our daily approach, and we are always looking for new ways to be a better and safer school environment for all.
During the School Day: Classrooms have the ability to hold “as needed” team meetings to allow students to talk about their feelings in a developmentally appropriate way. Our guidance staff will offer on-demand guidance appointments throughout the day to talk with students who may be having trouble processing information they may have learned at home. If your child is seen by the guidance staff, we will personally call you (parents) to review our conversation in the best interests of our home-school partnership. *Please be advised that the details of the events in Newtown will not be discussed with any students at any time. Details of what students are aware of are solely at the discretion of each individual family.
After the School Day and During the Weeks That Follow: We will be having more faculty and staff meetings to more thoroughly review our safety plans and manuals. We will not be engaged in a Crisis Drill until some point after the vacation, but please know that we will be ever-vigilant in making sure the Nichols Middle School is safe.
I have seen many Child Experts and websites flashed across the screen during the past three days, but I feel as though it is always positive to have too much information instead of not enough at all. In that spirit, I have attached a link to the National Association of School Psychologists’ website. Here one will find tips for parents and educators dealing with a “National Tragedy: Helping Kids Cope.” It is a site we as a school will be using for ways in which we can support our students. Please check it out, if you get a chance: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/terror_general.aspx
Also in this vein, even in the wake of tragedy, schools continue to be one of the safest places for children to be on a daily basis. Below are some conversational tips from Dr. Michele Borba, who personally shared on her Twitterfeed on Friday. Dr. Borba is an internationally recognized expert and author on children, teens, parenting, bullying and moral development. Her work aims to help strengthen children’s character and resilience, build strong families, create compassionate and just school cultures, and reduce peer cruelty. Her practical, research-based advice is culled from a career of working with over one million parents and educators worldwide. I hope you find her thoughts helpful:
· Turn off the TV and media on the school shooting when kids are present. Image can negatively impact children regardless of your zip code.
· Talk to the kids tonight or as soon as you see them. Open with “What have you heard?” Kids need the right facts. YOU not their peers provide the best source.
· Kids need to know it’s OK to share their feelings. It’s normal to be upset. Be calm and give only age appropriate information.
· Don’t give more information than the kid is ready to hear. More importantly, let your child know you’re there to listen.
· Don’t expect to help alleviate your kid’s anxiety unless you keep your own in check. Kids are calmer if we are calmer.
· Please don’t think because the child isn’t talking about the events that he/she didn’t hear about it.
· Give the information in small doses. Listen. Watch their response. Kids need processing time. Kids don’t need to know all the details and numbers. End with “I’m here for any questions you may have at anytime.”
· Here’s a great way to curb anxieties: Find proactive ways to alleviate fears about the tragedy. Tonight, offer condolences, draw, write letters to victims as a family.
· Stick to family routines. This soothes the stress and helps kids know that despite tragedy, that the world goes on. The sun will come up tomorrow. Hug!
· Draw kids’ attention to heroism in the tragedy. Use police, teachers, doctors, etc so kids see the goodness in the heartbreak.
· Kids respond to tragic news differently. Let your child know their feelings are normal. Help he/she express them. Follow his/her lead.
· Tonight is the first talk. Keep ongoing dialogue. Don’t explain more than they are ready to hear. Kids process and will want more later.
· T.A.L.K.
o Talk to the kid about the tragedy in an age-appropriate way
o Assess kid coping skills
o Listen, give some information and listen some more
o Kindle hope that the world goes on
· Ask your teen: “What are your pals saying?” Don’t assume they are NOT affected. Ignite their social justice. “What could we do?”
· Plan what you’ll say to your kid about the tragedy to boost their confidence and calmness. It’s OK to say “I don’t know” or “Good question. Let me find out.”
For more information go to micheleborba.com
· Turn off the TV and media on the school shooting when kids are present. Image can negatively impact children regardless of your zip code.
· Talk to the kids tonight or as soon as you see them. Open with “What have you heard?” Kids need the right facts. YOU not their peers provide the best source.
· Kids need to know it’s OK to share their feelings. It’s normal to be upset. Be calm and give only age appropriate information.
· Don’t give more information than the kid is ready to hear. More importantly, let your child know you’re there to listen.
· Don’t expect to help alleviate your kid’s anxiety unless you keep your own in check. Kids are calmer if we are calmer.
· Please don’t think because the child isn’t talking about the events that he/she didn’t hear about it.
· Give the information in small doses. Listen. Watch their response. Kids need processing time. Kids don’t need to know all the details and numbers. End with “I’m here for any questions you may have at anytime.”
· Here’s a great way to curb anxieties: Find proactive ways to alleviate fears about the tragedy. Tonight, offer condolences, draw, write letters to victims as a family.
· Stick to family routines. This soothes the stress and helps kids know that despite tragedy, that the world goes on. The sun will come up tomorrow. Hug!
· Draw kids’ attention to heroism in the tragedy. Use police, teachers, doctors, etc so kids see the goodness in the heartbreak.
· Kids respond to tragic news differently. Let your child know their feelings are normal. Help he/she express them. Follow his/her lead.
· Tonight is the first talk. Keep ongoing dialogue. Don’t explain more than they are ready to hear. Kids process and will want more later.
· T.A.L.K.
o Talk to the kid about the tragedy in an age-appropriate way
o Assess kid coping skills
o Listen, give some information and listen some more
o Kindle hope that the world goes on
· Ask your teen: “What are your pals saying?” Don’t assume they are NOT affected. Ignite their social justice. “What could we do?”
· Plan what you’ll say to your kid about the tragedy to boost their confidence and calmness. It’s OK to say “I don’t know” or “Good question. Let me find out.”
For more information go to micheleborba.com
If you have any other questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me through email mgeoghegan@middleboro.k12.ma.us or call the office at 508-946-2020.
Sincerely,
M.R. Geoghegan
