May 18, 2018.
Dear Parents and Staff,
I regret to inform you that there is breaking news about another tragic shooting incident at Santa Fe High School, southeast of Houston. Our hearts go out to the parents and families affected by this tragedy. In times like these, it is important that we, as parents and educators, monitor our children’s reactions, and gauge our response accordingly. Above all, we want to keep lines of communication with our students open.
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) provides the following tips to help children deal with the aftermath of this tragedy and additional information can be found at www.nasponline.org.
- Provide a developmentally appropriate, clear, and straightforward explanation of the event.
- Return to normalcy and routine to the best extent possible while maintaining flexibility.
- Let children know that it’s okay to feel upset or angry.
- Be a good listener and observer.
- Provide various ways for children to express emotion, such as through journaling, letter writing, talking, making a collage, or music.
- Focus on resiliency as well as the compassion of others.
As I have informed you previously, we continue to take many measures at Texas School for the Deaf to protect our students and staff on a daily basis, we know there is always more to do. In that vein, we will review today’s incident closely to determine if we can apply any learning to our current safety plans. I want all of you as parents to know we will continue to do everything possible to heighten our efforts, training, and awareness.
The safety of our students and staff will always remain our highest priority. Should families need further information or resources, please contact your school principal or counselor. Our counselors are available for any student in need of assistance. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Claire Bugen
Superintendent