October 26, 2023
Dear YES Families,
We hope this message finds you and your loved ones doing okay in the wake of the tragic event in Lewiston on Wednesday evening. The devastating and incomprehensible events of that day are being felt throughout our state. Our hearts are with any of you who may have connections to those impacted by these unimaginable circumstances. This has undoubtedly affected us all deeply, and we want to assure you that when we return to school the safety and emotional well-being of our students will be our top priority.
As you have seen in the communication from Dr. Dolloff, we are reaching out to communicate our support plan for students when they are able to transition back to school. We recognize that processing a senseless and tragic event like this with elementary-age children can be challenging and emotional. Our primary goal is to provide a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment for your children to help them cope with any feelings and concerns they may have while returning to school.
We would like to acknowledge that our students will return to school with a wide range of understanding of the events that have unfolded since Wednesday, including possible connections to the incidents in various ways. We want to be sure we are providing a developmentally appropriate space for children who may be processing their knowledge of the situation while also being careful to not expose them to ideas that can be scary. In that vein, we want to be very transparent about the approach and language we will be using to acknowledge the need to take an unexpected day (or more) away from school.
On our first day back to school, whether it is tomorrow or next week, we will begin Morning Meeting time with a school-wide message from us. That messaging will be:
Good morning, we want to welcome you back and talk as a school community before Morning Meetings begin. As you all know, we were not in school yesterday. That’s because of an event that took place in a nearby community that impacted many people. The police called Dr. Dolloff, who is in charge of all our schools. The police told him the best way to make sure everyone stayed safe was for us all to stay home. The police have now determined that everyone is safe so they told Dr. Dolloff we could all come back to school today. We are very lucky to live in a place where we have so many people to help keep us safe. Because of what happened in our state, our Friday announcements and your Morning Meeting will feel different today.
What Mrs. Kilpatrick and I care most about is your safety. We are here at school today because we are safe. YES is a safe place where each of you belongs. We want you to feel physically, and emotionally safe. Our teachers, staff, and your families are all here to support you. If you have questions, big feelings, or want to talk with an adult at school, we can provide that support for any of our students and staff. We are here to listen and help.
Although you may have questions about why we weren’t in school yesterday, your Morning Meeting will be a time to check in, talk about your feelings, and look at ways that you take care of yourself. If you want to meet with an adult at school on a deeper level to talk or ask questions, please let your teacher know. Again, we have a lot of people here to help.
At this time, your teacher will begin the Morning Meeting. We are so happy to be back with you all today.
During morning meetings in each classroom, a structure that students experience every morning, children will greet each other and connect about the day after the announcement from us. Teachers will then be using the following talking points:
As Mr. Gleason and Mrs. Kilpatrick shared in the announcement, our Morning Meeting will feel different today. As we talk and move through our day together, it’s important for you all to know that we have lots of people at school to help if you have questions, or need to check in with someone.
As we talk, remember that all emotions and feelings are valid. There is no “right or wrong” way to feel. You can pass, or skip, any questions that you’re not comfortable answering. It’s okay just to listen.
As Mr. Gleason said, this isn’t a time to tell stories or ask questions. Our job in the Morning Meeting today is to check in with each other, talk about how we take care of ourselves, and brainstorm ways that we can be extra kind and gentle to ourselves and our classmates today.
Checking in: How are you feeling right now? Focus on self-care (provide some examples for yourself): What can you do today that is calming and comforts you and your friends or family? Who are your supports? What do you do to take care of yourself? Encourage students to practice kindness, patience, and grace today: Everyone is processing differently and has different needs. What can we do today to be extra gentle with ourselves and our friends at school? Accessing support: As we move through the day together, please tell me if you need a break, or if you’d like to check in with one of the school counselors. There are a lot of people at school who care about each of you and can help. Thank you for sharing, and listening to each other. We are going to have a wonderful day together…
Our emphasis is on assuring students that they are safe and cared for and to help them settle into their day. We will have a normal day planned so students are able to follow their routines with as much as much predictability as possible.
Our counselors are skilled mental health professionals and they can speak with students who may be feeling anxious or distressed about returning to school. If you believe your child would benefit from speaking with one of the counselors, please don't hesitate to reach out to them. Their contact information is: Laura Murray, School Counselor laura_murray@yarmouthschools.org Chelsea Beckett, School Counselor chelsea_beckett@yarmouthschools.org Lindsey Lokken, Social Worker lindsey_lokken@yarmouthschools.org
On the day we return to school, they will be available throughout the day to meet with students as needed. We recognize that you have received several different resources, but we want to include this information on How to Support Students After a Tragedy from the Center of Grieving Children as an additional resource that you may find helpful. Please continue to refer to Dr. Dolloff’s email which includes a variety of supportive resources as you process with your children in the ways your family feels are most appropriate.
Our school community is here for each other, and together, we will support our children through this. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any concerns or questions, or if you need additional support.
Best,
Ryan Gleason, YES Principal & Molly Kilpatrick, YES Assistant Principal
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