March 9, 2018

Dear Novato Unified Families and Community:

On February 14 we once again heard the news of a school shooting that took the lives of students and adults on a school campus.  The news of this tragedy in Parkland, Florida and others before it have left our nation and community shaken and heartbroken for the victims and for their families, friends, peers, and communities that mourn their loss.  The senseless nature of these school shootings is profoundly troubling and causes us to examine why this keeps happening in America.  As we search for answers as a nation, state and school district, I believe that as with most complicated issues our desire for an easy solution must be put on hold.  There are never easy answers to issues such as these, and it will take a lot of work on a number of fronts as well as collaboration with each other to find multiple answers to address the question of why school shootings continue to happen.

School Safety

In the Novato Unified School District, we have taken concrete steps over the past several years to make sure we are doing all we can to ensure our students and staff are safe on campus.  This includes not only making sure our campuses are physically safe, but that our students are safe emotionally as well.  We have a District Emergency Preparedness Team that meets on a regular basis to ensure we have drills and lock-down procedures in place so that our staff and students are well prepared as to what to do in case of a variety of emergencies.  We have been conducting active shooter training at our schools for the past four years, and are always updating and holding this training regularly at every one of our schools.  Our emergency team also looks at issues related to the physical structures of our schools and classrooms. In addition to physical safety, we also want to do all we can to ensure that students are emotionally safe at schools.  These include social-emotional curriculum, restorative justice practices, anti-bullying programs, counseling services, and the development of a positive school culture.  NUSD is committed to doing all we can to make our school learning environments safe in every way possible.

Talking with Students

These unimaginable events are so difficult to understand, let alone explain to students. There are links below to resources to help you navigate conversations within your families and our community.  One of the most important things we can do as adults is to talk with our students and to open lines of communication.

Nationwide Action

The issue of school violence is a national issue.  The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School decided to take political action to try and ensure events like this do not happen again.  This social action has reverberated across the country, and we are aware of a number of nationwide walkouts being planned. We know you entrust us with your child’s safety. Student safety is our number one concern and we are actively planning for varying scenarios. The walkout gaining the most interest from students is planned for March 14 from 10:00 to 10:17 a.m. and is not a protest, but a remembrance event for the 17 lives lost in the Parkland, Florida shooting as well as a plea for school safety.

Each of our secondary school students are planning supervised remembrance activities to take place on campus, and I have met with our principals to prepare for this, and different activities will be happening ate each school.  Students who do not want to participate, for many varying reasons, may remain in class. We are reminding and expecting students and community members to be open to varying opinions and to keep communication and behavior toward one another peaceful, respectful, and safe. We are not facilitating one message or belief over another; we are creating a safe space for all students during a time many wish to explore and exercise their right to free speech through a student-initiated event. Our mission is to educate our students, and this is our central purpose.  We will encourage all students to remain on campus and to not miss their educational day. We are working closely with our Novato Police Department to prepare for supervision in case any students do leave campus, but we do not expect that to happen. Please contact your child’s school if you have any specific questions.  A list of activities at the secondary schools can be found here.

At our elementary schools, we are not discussing the Parkland tragedy or walkout events on a school wide level, but will provide safe and supportive space for individual students who want to speak with a trusted adult. Please let your school office or teacher know if your child needs counseling support.

Sheriff Bob Doyle and Superintendent of Schools Mary Jane Burke sent a letter out yesterday addressing the walkouts and it can be viewed here.  If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to share with us, we would like to hear from you. Please contact Director of Communications and Community Engagement, Leslie Benjamin, [email protected] or 415 897-4259.

Most sincerely,

Jim Hogeboom

Resources

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