Dear CSD colleagues and families,

Like many across the nation, I was devastated to hear of the tragic news regarding the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas today. Our sympathies and condolences are with the staff, students, and families of their community.

During incidents like this, thoughts naturally turn to school safety and the security of our students. CSD has instituted many safety measures to help protect our learning community and we work diligently to examine, improve and reinforce our security and emergency procedures regularly. Keeping our students and staff safe is a key commitment.

Students, staff, and community members are important school safety partners and are encouraged to share any information that causes concerns. If you see something, say something.  Tips can be shared anonymously via SafeOregon.com or reported to a trusted adult at school. If you are aware of an unsafe situation or see an unauthorized individual on one of our campuses, please let our staff know. If you feel it is an emergency situation, dial 911.

Please take a moment to ensure that the school office has a record of all current contact information. We want to be sure we can contact families and provide information quickly and accurately.

Children can be deeply impacted by events like these, raising fears and concerns. Teachers and staff can help reassure students that incidents like these are rare and our schools are safe places. The following resources may be useful in helping address this subject with students:

• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers – National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
• Helping Children With Tragic Events in the News – PBS for Parents

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our schools as safe as possible and joining me in keeping the community of Uvalde in your thoughts this evening.

Mike Johnson
Superintendent