As I walked through our school today, I felt confident that
our children are as safe as possible.
Our gates are secure; we have safety procedures in place; access to our
campus is extremely limited; we routinely practice code drills and fire drills.
Most importantly, the children are
always with loving adults who take their responsibility to care for our
children very seriously.
Our administrative team met today to explore ways of making
our building even more secure. We came
up with a few ideas and you will hear more about them as the days go on.
For now, concentrate on your children.
·
Listen to those who express anxiety.
·
Answer their questions in age appropriate
ways. For most, a brief, factual answer
is best.
·
Do not be afraid to use words like “died.” They understand that better than “passed
away” or “is gone.” Those terms are too
nebulous for children in the concrete stage of their development.
·
Assure the children that our school is as safe
as is possible. Tell them that they can
ask questions of Mrs. Waters, their teachers or me if they want to know how we
would deal with something similar in our school.
·
Pray as a family: for the children, the adults,
the entire school community.
·
Hug your children and tell them how much you
love them. The loss of a child is
something I would never want any of you to experience. I have known that grief, and I have known the
healing grace that God provides for those of us who must deal with it.
May God continue to bless our school community with health
and happiness.
