Dear TPS Families, 

There is nothing more horrific than the loss of young lives, and in the aftermath of Tuesday’s tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, it is incredibly difficult for all of us (adults and children) to process the senseless loss of life. This difficulty is especially acute for those of us who attend and work in schools. We feel unsafe and at risk and we know that you as parents share our fears.

The loss of security that we all experience with every violent event is real. We worry about our own families and what it means to go to school, to the grocery store, or to church. If you are looking for support and/or guidance about how to talk to your children about recent events, we have compiled the resources below to help you support your children and families in the days ahead.

In the twenty-three years since Columbine we have learned that periodic school shootings are something we have to prepare for and even though they are statistical anomalies, each shooting increases our sense of vulnerability. As professionals, we strive to find the right balance of preparing for the unlikely, helping our students process the most recent tragedy, and moving forward controlling what we can control.

Prairie partners with local law enforcement, we have ALICE trained our teachers (scheduled again in August), we video monitor every entrance, and we build a community of trust and connection that makes Prairie a safe place where we and our students look forward to attending each day.

Together, we are all stronger, and with the end of the year upon us I hope we all remember that we are #BetterTogether. I look forward to seeing all of you at our year-end events.

Sincerely,

Nathaniel W. Coffman, Ed.D.
President and Head of School

 

Helping Children Cope with Tragedy
Talking to Children About Tragedies
(American Academy of Pediatrics)

Helping Kids After a Shooting
(American School Counselor Association)

Promoting Compassion and Acceptance in Crisis
(National Association of School Psychologists)

Media Consumption
Children and the News
(American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)

Explaining the News to Our Kids
(Common Sense Media)

Helping Children Cope with Frightening News
(Child Mind Institute)