Though talking with children about violence is something we hope to never have to do, sometimes it is necessary. With the terrible news out of Florida yesterday, it feels like an important time to remind families that it is for situations like this that we practice lockdown drills, and work with state and local police on an ongoing basis to develop updated safety plans that we hope we will never have to put in place. Every staff member is impacted by a tragedy like this, and we will try to be aware of any students that seem to be particularly affected by the news. I know that many of our younger students will be thankfully unaware, but with the increased used of devices and pervasiveness of social media, the age of awareness seems to grow younger and younger. If you feel your child should speak to someone, please let me, Mrs. Griffin, or their classroom teacher know. Our school psychologist, Jay Killough, is only here on Thursdays, but he would be available whenever necessary to recommend age-appropriate resources.
I found a publication about speaking to children about violence from the National Association of School Psychologists that I want to share with you, which I will do through email. The main points are:
- Reaffirm their safety
- Make time to talk
- Keep explanations developmentally appropriate
- Review safety procedures
- Observe their emotional state
- Maintain a normal routine
A link to this and more resources can be found at www.nasponline.org/safety-and-
crisis, in an email you will receive today, and on our school website. Please let me know if there is anything we can do for your child and for you at a time like this.