Message from new Long Beach Principal Christine Smith
December 17, 2012
Dear Long Beach Families,
The Long Beach Staff have heavy hearts from Friday’s events at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. While the district will issue a formal statement regarding this horrific tragedy, I wanted to connect with you as your child’s principal.
· Thank you for trusting us with your children every day. Know that keeping your children safe is the single most important piece of our work at school and that your children are diligently cared for by our school staff.
· The main office will continue to be the only point of entrance to school during the day, and we will continue the sign-in process for visitors.
· I have instructed all staff to refrain from discussing Friday’s tragedy with students or with one another in the presence of students. We respect your role as a parent on what you feel is appropriate to share with your child. If it is brought up by a student, the teacher will take that student aside to talk or involve me, Mrs. Marmo, Mrs. Gullickson (our social worker), or another member of our team to ensure his or her needs are addressed. If your child needs to speak with someone outside of the classroom, you will be notified in the interest of working together. If you know your child is having a tough time, please feel free to contact his or her teacher, the office staff, or Mrs. Gullickson so we can support him or her.
· Know that we conduct drills in conjunction with local first responders to aid in our preparation for weather related or other events that may compromise the safety of our school community. Through those drills and ongoing conversation, we continue to revisit our plans and policies. Likewise, teachers and substitute teachers all have copies of our emergency procedures and know their role within those plans.
The safety of staff and children is our priority at Long Beach Elementary. If you have questions or concerns, please contact me at 630-636-3300.
Respectfully,
Chris Smith, Principal