Dear NPS Families: I am writing to you about the tragic events unfolding this evening in Uvalde, Texas, where a school shooting occurred in an elementary school resulting in multiple deaths. This horror falls on the heels of the terror inflicted on the Black community in Buffalo where ten people were shot and killed and the shooting rampage in a California Taiwanese church congregation. Like you, I am sick about the frequency of these events across our country, and I understand the anxiety that many of our students, staff, and families may be experiencing as a result of learning about these mass shootings. I want to assure you that the health and safety of our students and staff is our *Number One* priority in the Needham Public Schools, and while we can never guarantee there will never be a violent event in our schools, the principals and staff work each day to prioritize student wellbeing and security. • Tomorrow morning the Needham Police will maintain a low key presence around our schools, and our School Resource Officers will make themselves available to check in with staff and students as necessary. • We continue to partner with Needham Public Safety partners and local officials throughout the school year, and each of our schools this year has experienced an armed intruder drill based on the ALICE protocol <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SOVH_1h5NDWrwJtLAAlhonBbHO8p5Lav95Y6IkdzvEw/edit?usp=sharing> . The goal is to utilize infrastructure, technology, and human action to increase overall student and staff safety. • Building principals will provide developmentally appropriate resources for teachers and staff to help students process these events should students raise questions about these shootings or have concerns for their safety. Counselors will be available for students who may need to process the news. Please reassure your children that school is a safe place and that we have many safety protocols in place to protect them. Our staff will continue to work closely with our students and families when they are experiencing difficult situations, and we always encourage all members of our community to speak up when they have a concern. Finally, please join me in offering prayers to the families of the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas and all the innocent victims who succumb to senseless gun violence too often in our nation. Respectfully, Dan Gutekanst Superintendent of Schools Needham Public Schools 1330 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA 02492 *He/His/Him* 781-455-0400 x11203 dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us ATTENTION: If you speak a language other than English, language assistance services are available to you free of charge. Contact your child’s school for assistance. Chinese (Simplified): 请注意：如果您的母语不是英语，我们将免费提供您语言辅助服务。如需协助，请与您孩子 的学校联系。 Spanish: ATENCION: Si usted habla un idioma que no sea el inglés, hay servicios de asistencia lingüística disponibles gratis. Contacte la escuela de su hijo para asistencia. Russian: ВНИМАНИЕ: Если вы не говорите на английском языке, для вас доступны бесплатные языковые сервисы на вашем языке. Обратитесь за помощью в школу, в которой учится ваш ребенок.