Caring for the safety and wellbeing of our students this holiday season

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Caring for the safety and wellbeing of our students this holiday season

BVSD Student Support Services

Dec 19 2025

Dear BVSD Families and Staff,

It has been an unusual start to Winter Break. We hope this message finds you safe and well, as we, together, endure these high wind events and the resulting school closures.

Already the holiday season can be very stressful for adults and children alike, which is why we always reach out at the beginning of Winter Break to provide everyone with helpful resources to navigate the social-emotional challenges posed this time of the year.

This week’s stress may be adding to your, and your child’s anxieties.

Resources: High wind events

First, the National Association of School Psychologists always has great resources for parents and staff to help children through a variety of tough situations, including severe weather and the potential of the natural disasters they may cause. Many of these tips are relevant, especially given that many of our kids were impacted by the devastating Marshall Fire, four years ago.

Resources: Holiday season

Even without the prospect of wind damage and wildfire danger, the holidays come with a lot of stress and have a tendency to trigger memories. Some memories can be positive, but they may also bring up thoughts of loved ones who are no longer with us or other traumatic events.

With all this in mind, it is always best to keep a watchful eye on our children, family and friends during this season. This is especially important during periods when there is less structure and children may have more time alone.

READ MORE:

Crisis Mental Health support

If you are concerned that your child may be experiencing changes in their mood or suicidal behaviors or thoughts, please remember to stay with the child until you are sure they are safe and contact one of the below hotlines ASAP:

Call, text or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255
If there is an immediate threat to your child or other students, call 911

General Mental Health Supports

I Matter
This confidential program from the State of Colorado connects all youth 18 and younger, as well as young people aged 21 and younger who receive special education services, with a therapist for up to 6 free virtual counseling sessions (some in-person appointments available, too).

WellMind Connection
WellMind Connection makes it easy to find behavioral health resources and providers. They are partnered with a team of community-based mental health responders. This Crisis Assistance and Treatment (CAT) team offers bilingual, urgent, and confidential behavioral health response and services.

99 Coping Skills
During times of stress, we encourage you and your family to take a moment to review the list of coping skills. This can also serve as a good starting place for you to make your own list with family/friends.

BVSD Health, Wellness and Prevention website
The district has pulled together a lot of good resources, including specific suicide prevention resources in the suicide prevention section.

RISE Against Suicide
This local non-profit offers free mental health therapy for uninsured or underinsured youth struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Additional Safety Resources

Be SMART and keep the holidays safe

Winter Break is often a time when students may be visiting the homes of friends and family.

We always encourage our parents to Be SMART:

Secure all guns in your home and vehicles
Model responsible behavior around guns
Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes
Recognize the role of guns in suicide
Tell your peers to be SMART

During the holidays, this means ensuring any firearms in your home are secure and asking about secure gun storage when visiting relatives and before your child or teen goes over to a new friend’s house.

It is a necessary part of ensuring their safety and these sample conversations can help you get started.

Additionally, please familiarize yourself with the Gun Violence Prevention for Parents

& Guardians of K-12 Students flier offered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The Safeguard Your Home flier has some good information regarding proactive efforts you can take to protect children in your home.

Access to a gun can be the difference between life and death in a moment of crisis. Learn about Colorado’s Red Flag Law
When a loved one is in crisis, family members are often the first to recognize warning signs. An extreme risk order gives you a way to intervene when you have reason to believe your loved one is at serious risk of harming themselves or others. It can be a life-saving intervention. In Colorado, a family or household member can file a petition for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) to temporarily remove firearms and prohibit new purchases. Learn more about Extreme Risk Protection Orders on the One Thing You Can Do website.

Together we can make this a safe and happy holiday season for ourselves and our children. We at the Boulder Valley School District Student Support Services team wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season and look forward to welcoming your students back to school soon.

Sincerely,

The BVSD Student Support Services Team