Wentzville District Counselors Will Help Children Deal with Newtown Tragedy

(The following letter was sent via e-news to Wentzville School District parents.)

Dear Parents:

We are all extremely saddened by the events that unfolded in a Connecticut school this morning.  The loss of life that took place is truly a tragedy.  Our thoughts are with those who have been personally impacted by this horrific incident. 

During times like this it is only natural to think of our own children.  We want to assure each of you that we share your concern over such tragedies and we are vigilant and pro-active here in the Wentzville School District in all areas – especially where the safety of our students and staff are concerned.  We have multiple safety measure in place to help prevent these types of horrible incidences. 

All staff members in our district, including teachers, administrators, and support staff, are trained in emergency response procedures.  We have crisis plans in place for each of our buildings to deal with emergency situations, including those similar to what occurred this morning.  We also run regular drills, including an intruder drill, which helps keep the right procedures and precautions top-of-mind for our staff.

Our school district has a strong partnership with our local law enforcement officials, and we work with them closely to ensure that our schools are as safe as possible.  Our high schools are each staffed with a full-time school resource officer and officers tied to all our buildings are quick to respond when help is needed.  We regularly consult with law enforcement about safety issues.

Counselors in our buildings are available to help students who have been affected by this morning’s shootings. If your child would like to speak to someone at school about his or her feelings, concerns or fears, please let us know or encourage him or her to reach out to a trusted adult.  It is critical that our students feel safe at school so they are free to learn. 

Please be assured that the Wentzville School District has the safety and best interests of your child in mind at all times.  We will work together to make sure that our procedures for preventing and dealing with dangerous situations such as this are as strong as possible, and that our children are protected. Our thoughts are with the community of Newtown, Connecticut.

Thank you,
Dr. Terry Adams