​The recent incident at Centaurus High School has provided an opportunity for district personnel to review emergency and safety procedures. I am very pleased with the response and performance of school personnel during the incident and I appreciate the assistance provided by law enforcement. All agencies will continue to debrief and refine the emergency processes. I am pleased that students and staff were safe throughout the entire endeavor.

Alert observation and communication by students and staff are the best proactive strategy on all of the school campuses. Students and staff members know the school setting and they observe and hear about situations that are not part of the normal routine. This information is very helpful when there is a threat or danger on campus. When school resumes in the fall, district personnel will continue training and working on procedures to maintain safe schools for all students and staff.

Following the incident many parents inquired how to talk with their children about school violence. Following are some helpful tips for beginning a conversation on this troubling topic:

• The most important thing to remember is that such incidents are incredibly rare.
• Despite the infrequency, these incidents are extremely unsettling. Allow your child to express their fears.
    * Listen calmly.
    * Correct any misconceptions or false information.
    * Tell the students the truth. Do not minimize the reality of the event.
• Tell your child that you want to ensure their safety.
• Reassure your child that schools are generally very safe places and that all school staff make student safety the highest priority.
• If the fear is extremely high or does not subside in a short period of time (young people are very resilient), seek professional support for your child.

Once children have been reassured of their safety, it is important to continue the conversation about what you and your child can do to prevent such occurrences in the future.

• Encourage your child to remain vigilant and to tell an adult in the school if they notice anything out of the ordinary.
• Create a safety plan with your child, including safe places for them to go, ensuring that they know how to contact you, etc.
• Discuss consequences of aggressive/violent behavior that you or the legal system might have if your child gets into fights, bullies others, etc.
• Be a good role model. Model peaceful conflict resolution.
• Help your child learn to examine ways to find solutions to problems. The more solutions they have in their “toolbox,” the less likely they are to turn to aggressive solutions.
• Encourage kindness to everyone and minimize teasing behaviors.

For more information regarding this important topic, please see the following resources:

Talking to Kids about School Safety
(Mental Health America)   

Talking Points: Helping Children Following School Violence
(Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth)