Dear CH-UH Schools Community,

In light of last week’s tragedy in Parkland, Florida, I wanted to share some information and resources with you. I touched on this topic during my State of Our Schools address on Wednesday, but I believe it is beneficial to spread this conversation further into our community. 

What happened in Florida and in the many other mass shootings around the country is absolutely heartbreaking. I pray that we never have to face such an atrocity in our community, but in this day and age we have to be prepared. 

School Safety
Rest assured that the safety of our staff and students is the top priority in every one of our buildings. Each school has a crisis plan in place, including procedures for any type of emergency. Our schools perform lockdown drills twice a year, once in the fall and once again in the spring. We are fortunate to have great partnerships with our local law enforcement agencies, who participate in many of our lockdown drills and are also in continual conversation with building and district leadership throughout the school year.

Social-Emotional Supports
In addition to our safety preparedness, our district also places a great emphasis on social-emotional supports for students. Our dedicated team of nurses, counselors, social workers, and school psychologists are here to support our students who may be experiencing mental health issues. If you believe your child may be experiencing these types of issues, I encourage you to reach out to his or her school and speak with the appropriate personnel. 

Responsible Use of Social Media
I also encourage you to speak with your children about the responsible use of social media. Following last week’s tragedy, many school districts around the country are encountering false threats on social platforms. These threats, which are many times posted as hoaxes, are treated as real threats until proven otherwise. The repercussions for a student posting a threat, credible or not, can be serious--both in terms of school discipline and criminal prosecution.

National School Walkout on March 14
I have received many messages asking about the district’s position on the National School Walkout event on March 14. CH-UH has a long history of student activism, which we as a district support. We always encourage our students to get involved in issues that they are passionate about. This case is no different. Our administration and Board of Education will support the students who wish to participate in this national event. However, we are asking that our students work in coordination with our building leaders to ensure the safety of all students and maintain a level of orderliness on that day. 

Resources and Advice
Below you will find a number of resources and professional advice for talking with your children about violence and tragedy. It is never too late to address these issues with students, especially in light of the current national discourse.

As always, we ask you to be active and engaged partners with your child’s school. If you have any concerns, please share them with your child’s teacher, principal or school counselor. Together we can ensure that the learning environment in our schools remains safe and supportive.

Sincerely,

Dr. Talisa Dixon
CH-UH Schools Superintendent

Safe School Helpline
In support of the District’s efforts to ensure a safe, respectful and responsible school climate we have available the Safe School Helpline. The Helpline is designed to assist you in reporting any wrongdoing that impacts our schools, our students, or our staff--anonymously, so as to protect your privacy. For example, you can report acts or threats of violence, theft, drug or alcohol use, depression or threats of suicide, weapons or sexual harassment.

To access the Safe School Helpline, call 1-800-4-1-VOICE ext. 359 or (1-800-418-6423) to leave your information. You can also submit a report via SafeSchoolHelpline.com. Safe School Helpline numbers are also posted in each of our school buildings.

Talking to Children About Violence - Tips for Parents and Teachers
The National Association of School Psychologists put together a helpful and comprehensive guide to talking to children about violence. I encourage you to visit their page and read advice on how to approach this topic with your students. Click here to read the guide. Or download their printable infographic on the topic.