Letter #1

Reprinted courtesy of Forest Hills Public Schools, Grand Rapids, MI

Dear Parents/Guardians, Students, and Staff:

While we never want to overreact or alarm, I am writing to assure you that we are prepared for any of the emergencies currently being discussed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and in the national media. Because student and staff safety always has been our highest priority, these plans are similar to those we have practiced for the possibility of fire, tornado, bomb threat, injured student, intruder, or power outage.

For over two years, school district representatives have met with the __________ County Health Department, and the countywide Local Emergency Planning Committee; have attended training seminars, and studied the options available to us. All our preparation has been done in compliance with county, state and federal safety and health guidelines, including those provided most recently from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In response to the information provided, we have put specific action plans in place for all schools and district buildings, trained staff, identified safe shelter areas in every building, and equipped our buildings with necessary supplies. In addition, our guidance counselors, psychologists, administrators and social workers have been trained to help both staff and students cope with any special concerns they may have. A list of ways to talk to your child(ren) about these events is enclosed, along with several websites that offer additional information.

We are aware that a “red alert” may be issued for a broad area until the government can specify the location of an expected attack. However, we also have been told there may be instances when a “red alert” is issued only for a targeted area. Depending on the nature of any possible incident, access to schools may need to be restricted for a variety of reasons beyond our control, or we may need to evacuate all students and adults, if an incident occurs inside a school.

We ask that you not call schools in either situation, because a volume of incoming calls will prevent staff from helping children, and will tie up the phone lines. We plan to provide frequent, consistent updates to our website and local media via emergency lines, computers and cell phones. At these times, parents should use radio, television and the Internet for information on emergency procedures.

If children can be released, our normal sign-out procedure will be used. Also, we are encouraging parents/guardians to provide a secondary contact person authorized to pick up your child, if you cannot be reached. A form is enclosed for this purpose, which we hope you will complete and return to your school(s).

I also want to assure you that information flow to students, during the school day, will be handled as it is in the past. We will not share any news with grades k-6, believing parents/guardians should control awareness based on their child’s curiosity and understanding. Bus drivers will be advised to turn off all radios so students do not hear random reports when on the buses. Our middle and high schools will carefully use media coverage to support teaching of current events, but will not allow it to dominate the school day.

None of us wants to consider any of these possibilities, and there is no reason to expect anything we are discussing to occur in this area. Unfortunately, these last two years have taught us that anything can happen anywhere. As educators we are charged with keeping student and staff safety our highest priority, and with taking every possible measure to insure the protection of everyone in our care.

Your consideration of this information is appreciated. If you have any questions, please contact your principal(s) at your convenience.

Sincerely,
(Superintendent)

(Attach this hand out)

Tips on talking with children about war and terrorism

1. Talking does not increase fear. In fact, anxiety is likely to increase if fears are kept to one’s self.

2. Adults may need to initiate the conversation, taking into account the child’s age and level of understanding. Look for opportunities to bring up the topic, but then follow the child’s lead. Conversations should probably be ongoing.

3. The child’s age and personality style should dictate how much direct access they have to TV. Parents should try to watch with their children.

4. For younger children:
  a. Help them separate reality and fiction since they see war on videos and in movies.
  b. Help them understand this is happening far away even though they see it on TV.
  c. Help them understand the same story may be repeated on television and may not be happening over and over.
  d. Discuss the safety levels in place, including our president and commander-in-chief, the armed services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the police, local government agencies, and the individual safety measures we can take.

5. Maintain routines and normal schedules as much as possible.

6. Parents need to manage personal stress to be able to help their children.Additional information is available on the following websites:

www.ready.gov
www.tlcinstitute.org
www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/tragedy/index.asp
www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/childrenanxiety
www.nctsnet.org
www.helping.apa.org/daily/ptguidelines.html

Letter #2

Reprinted courtesy of Allen Park, MI Public Schools

Dear Parents:

As you are aware, our nation is now at war. As educators, we share the same concerns you have regarding this event and how it will affect our students. For most of our children, this is the first time America has been at war. We realize some students have family members or friends of their family who may be serving in the armed forces. They will naturally be concerned about the safety of these individuals who are an important part of their life.

It is imperative that we work closely together to provide a safe and understanding environment for all our students during this time period. Schools across our nation want to become “islands of safety and information” for our students and for you, as their parents.

Together, we will attempt to cope with the tragedy and trauma that may result from the war or possible related acts of terrorism. As this country moves toward a higher state of alert relating to security, it is only natural that we look again at school security issues. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to present an update regarding the steps we have taken to provide a safe learning environment for your student during this turbulent time period in our history. We have a district-wide safety team that has met many times to address the District’s safety response plan. It is comprised of Mayor Levon King, representatives from the Allen Park police and fire departments, as well as myself, other administrators, and our school social workers. We have reviewed and updated our district-wide crisis manual and each of our schools has practiced an actual “lockdown drill” during the first semester. This crisis plan was utilized on September 11, 2001, and we have continued to refine and improve it since that time. Please rest assured, the safety of our students is our top priority.

Our goal is to provide a normal setting each day for our students. However, for any safety response plan to work, it must be implemented with the full participation and support of everyone. It is important that we follow our regular routine, both at school and at home, for the benefit of all students. School will be held each day unless a national emergency dictates otherwise. We do not plan to close school early unless directed to do so by emergency response personnel.

During the days ahead, you may find that your son or daughter has questions about what is happening. I would suggest that just as usual, you respond to these questions by being open and honest. At school, we will monitor the students carefully. If a student is experiencing emotional difficulties, they will be referred by the teacher to a counselor, administrator, or social worker. We know that students will be impacted in various ways. Our goal is to reassure students that school is indeed a safe place for them to be.

As adults, we realize this situation will probably not be resolved in a short period of time. Nevertheless, we must try to maintain a “normal” school learning environment for the benefit of everyone. At school we will limit the amount of time that students watch news coverage on television, particularly at the elementary level. We will do everything possible to stay focused on scheduled lessons, try to keep our students optimistic, and give them hope during the weeks and months ahead.

We want to work closely with you during this time. Depending on the nature of any possible incident, access to schools may need to be restricted for a variety of reasons beyond our control, or we may need to evacuate all students and adults, if an incident occurs inside or near a school.

We ask that you not call schools in either situation, because a volume of incoming calls will prevent staff from helping children, and will tie up the phone lines. We plan to provide frequent, consistent updates to our website and local media via emergency lines, computers and cell phones. At these times, parents should use radio, television and the Internet for information on emergency procedures. If children can be released, our normal sign-out procedure will be used.

Please feel free to contact your student’s counselor, social worker, or administrator if you have questions or concerns.

Our thoughts go out to the members of the Armed Forces as they carry out their assignments both here and across the globe. We know from past experience that our nation has often faced difficult times and has risen above them to move forward. Let us work together as a community to provide a safe and orderly educational experience for our most precious resources—our children.

Sincerely,

R. Douglas Pretty
Superintendent of Schools