Dear Parents and Guardians,

You may or may not be aware, but there is a national social media movement underway for students and staff to participate in a school “walkout” in response to the most recent school shooting that took place in Florida. The movement is asking students to walk out of schools on March 14th and April 20th for seventeen minutes to represent one minute for each life lost in the Parkland, Florida, school tragedy. The movement has gained the majority of its momentum at high schools across our country. However, many of our older elementary and middle school students are aware of this movement due to social media, news outlets, or conversations they may hear at home or in the community.

While we support safe schools and understand the significance of the tragedy that took place in Parkland, Florida, Nippersink School District 2 will not participate in these events. Our focus remains on keeping our schools safe and delivering age-appropriate learning. In addition to the disruption of the learning environment these events would cause, there are serious security concerns with students exiting a building on a pre-announced date and time. Finally, many of the younger students are not equipped to process the events that took place, and we do not want to cause any student undue stress or confusion. The American School Counselors Association recommends that parents and adults:

 Listen to children’s fears and concerns
 Limit exposure to television and social media
 Reassure children the world is a good place, but there are people who do bad things
 Keep routines as normal and predictable as possible - this includes attending school
 Remind children we have drills and procedures in place to keep them safe

Providing safe and secure schools is a priority for all of us that are part of the Nippersink School District family. If you have questions or concerns regarding any safety or security issues please know that our staff and administrators are available to listen and provide answers to your questions.
The Nippersink School District 2 thanks you for your continued support.
Respectfully,

Dr. Thomas Lind
Superintendent

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