The school shooting on Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida is deeply saddening, troubling, and concerning. Sadly, this incident is not new or unknown to American communities - the frequency and intensity of school violence is already high and consistently growing.
This week’s incident is a tragic reminder of the importance of vigilance and mindfulness in keeping students safe in school. My most sincere thoughts and condolences lie with the families of students, faculty, and staff involved in this horrific event, as well as the many families around the country that have been the victims of violence in the school setting. As a school administrator, my primary role in the school is ensuring a safe, secure environment for all students. An integral part of our training of faculty & staff throughout the year involves the safety and security of D’Evelyn students and staff. The successful management of a safe and secure school environment requires the support and engagement of all school stakeholders. In our February 20th faculty meeting, I will review safety norms and procedures. In that meeting, I will reiterate the importance of being watchful and mindful of students and their wellbeing. This is an important component of maintaining a safe and supportive school community, and being responsive to student needs as they arise. However, I am also confident that the faculty and staff cannot solely sustain oversight of the wellbeing of all students all day, every day. We rely heavily upon the support of parents, family members, peers, and friends to gather information about students that may be struggling. I request the support of all D’Evelyn community members - students, parents, family members, faculty, staff, and administrators - to reach out to trusted adults if they are concerned about the wellbeing or safety of any member of the D’Evelyn community. We have a talented, skilled, and responsive faculty and staff. I encourage all students and families to develop connections with D’Evelyn faculty and staff members, and to reach out when there are concerns. A brief review of the most relevant personnel follows:
Additionally, students, families, faculty, and staff are welcome to utilize confidential reporting measures to convey concerns to D’Evelyn leadership. The Safe2Tell program has been effective in mitigating school violence and supporting student safety - reports may be filed at www.Safe2Tell.org or by calling 1-877-542-7233. I reiterate my earlier request - when D’Evelyn community members have a concern about the wellbeing or safety of any other community member, I ask for your commitment that you will share that concern with the most appropriate trusted adult in the building. Ultimately, the most important point of emphasis is that reports are made to at least one adult employee in the D’Evelyn community. The objective of perfect school safety and security can only be achieved when the efforts of all stakeholders are unified and directed to that end - the maintenance of a safe, secure, distraction-free, and comfortable learning environment. I sincerely thank you for your support and commitment to keeping our school safe and secure. Comments are closed.
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