School leaders reassure students after ‘horrific’ tragedy

Canton school administrators redoubled their security efforts, collaborated with local law enforcement to ensure a police presence in all buildings, and made counseling available to all students and staff as needed in the wake of last week’s shooting massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

The brutal assault, carried out by a single perpetrator armed with an AR-15 style rifle, resulted in the deaths of 19 children and two teachers and was the third-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. The 18-year-old assailant also shot his grandmother and injured more than a dozen others at the school before he was killed by border patrol officers roughly 80 minutes after his arrival.

Canton School Superintendent Derek Folan acknowledged the Texas tragedy in his report to the School Committee on Thursday, May 26. “Our hearts go out to the families and staff involved in the school shooting at the Robb Elementary School,” he said. “It is incomprehensible and horrific, and it jolts the emotions of every school community. We can’t imagine the immediate and lingering impact of yet another school shooting. As a community we are thankful for the close relationships, our loving families, students and staff and a culture of supporting each other in times like this.”

In a letter sent to families and staff on the day of the shooting, Folan assured the CPS community that school leaders had taken “immediate steps to ensure everyone’s support and well-being,” and he stressed that “safety is always a priority and our protocols are always in place.”

He thanked the Canton Police, the school resource officers, and the CPS staff for their efforts and noted that the relationships they have built, together with a “warm welcome and constant smiles” provided the “most authentic sense of safety for our children and staff.”

Folan added that tragedies such as the one in Uvalde remind everyone of the importance of school protocols and checking school facilities often. “We are pleased to have a strong safety system in place, and we are continually going to analyze and act on areas of improvement,” he said.

In his letter to families, Folan also shared an online tip sheet prepared by the National Association of School Psychologists that is designed to help parents and teachers talk to children about violence. NASP advises that these trusted adults reassure children that they are safe while keeping their explanations developmentally appropriate. They should also review safety procedures with their children; observe their emotional state; limit TV coverage of the traumatic events; and maintain a normal routine. More information is available at nasponline.org …

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jun 3 2022. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.