Following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, Mercer Island School District (MISD) and Youth and Family Services (YFS) administrators have reached out to the Island community in separate online messages regarding the tragedy.
In the letter addressed to MISD families on the district site, Superintendent Donna Colosky and Deputy Superintendent Fred Rundle expressed their deepest sympathy to the families and community of Uvalde that senselessly lost children at the school.
“These words feel small in the face of the immense grief this community is facing. Another school shooting tragedy is leaving an indelible mark on parents, families, friends, classmates, teachers and a community,” they wrote.
In a statement issued in the city of Mercer Island online newsletter, YFS said that during this sorrowful time, Islanders have been conveying their solidarity for the Uvalde community.
“The impact of national tragedies can leave a person feeling a range of emotions, and you may be asking yourself how to talk with your children, or others, about what happened,” the YFS message reads, adding that YFS offers programs within the local schools and community for support in managing grief and tragedy.
Colosky and Rundle assured that students’ safety and caring for each one is the district’s top priority. A plethora of safety measures that have already been implemented at the schools include: having secure entryways in each school; practicing fire, earthquake and lockdown drills; regularly reviewing emergency procedures and related issues; partnering with the Mercer Island Police Department and its school resource officer on strategies for school violence prevention and intervention; and empowering high school and middle school students to anonymously report any potentially dangerous situations through the Sandy Hook Promise’s Say Something program.
“In times like these when our hearts break for a community of children miles away, I am reminded of the strength and support of our own community. We value the support of our families as we carry the responsibility to educate and keep our students safe,” the MISD letter notes.
YFS encourages parents and teachers to peruse vital information to help deal with tragedies and discuss them with children that is provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association of School Psychologists and American Psychological Association.
Some of the information listed on those association’s sites include: asking children what they’ve heard about a tragedy and what questions they might have while engaging in a direct dialogue; discussing the efforts of school and community leaders to provide safe schools; encouraging children to maintain their regular schedule of schoolwork and extracurricular activities, but don’t push them if they seem overwhelmed; reminding them that their parents are present for them to provide safety, comfort and support.
