Dear Lafayette Families –
This afternoon we witnessed another act of violence and hate toward innocent victims in places we consider safe; a little over a week ago a gunman took the lives of 10 innocent people in a supermarket in a predominately black neighborhood. Today, a gunman took the lives of 18 students and 1 teacher at an elementary school in Texas. Our hearts ache for the victims and their families.
As we walk into the school building tomorrow morning, we are faced with caring for our children as they process news of violence and hatred, while also taking the time to care our own emotional needs. The following supports will be in place in the morning:
- Staff process spaces
- Staff Resources provided to help kids process
- Supports for students who may need to process
Below is a list of resources to use with students that we are sharing with our staff:
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Overall, we are keeping in mind that our students will enter our classrooms tomorrow each having a different set of knowledge about the current events. We will be mindful that some kids might not know what happened, while others will know lots of facts. Overall, our goal is to help kids re-establish feelings of safety if necessary, and provide space for processing if necessary.
This is also a good time to remind ourselves of basic school safety logistics:
- If you see a propped door at school, close it.
- If we ever have a threat in or outside of the building, we will go into a lockdown until the building is secure.
- If we have to evacuate, our reunification site is Blessed Sacrament (5949 Western Ave, NW, WDC 20015)
- All safety information would be provided the website and text message/email/robocall
Tonight as we head for bed, please take a moment to snuggle your family a little bit tighter with the gratitude that everyone is safe. Please don’t hesitate to let your child’s teacher know if they are having a hard time in coping in any way.
With love and gratitude,
Dr. B