[Superintendent's Update] Superintendent's Update

[Needham Public Schools Superintendent's Update]

Friday evening, November 2, 2007


Dear Parents and Guardians:

Please allow me to share with you how pleased and proud I am of our staff
and students who reacted so quickly and calmly this afternoon during the
lockdown of our schools.  All of our students were safe and everyone got
home as quickly and safely as possible after dismissals began.

As you may know by now, Police Chief Tom Leary contacted me in the
afternoon to notify me that the police were investigating a homicide near
Great Plain and Elmwood.  The suspect, apparently, had fled the scene on
foot, and the chief and I decided it was necessary to institute a
schoolwide lockdown so the police could search the area.  We did not want
students leaving school and being caught up in what was quickly becoming a
major incident and manhunt.  Shortly after we implemented the lockdown, a
second incident involving a different suspect in the center of town
resulted in the Needham and state police responding on two fronts.

Each principal was notified quickly, and with great skill and purpose they
implemented the appropriate lockdown procedures.  Staff and teachers
performed at an exceptional level as they followed the protocol and
ensured the safety and security of our students.  (My lockdown
instructions to Hillside and Eliot resulted in a minor miscommunication,
but all Needham Public Schools students were safe and the buildings were
secured.)

At approximately 4:00 p.m. Chief Leary contacted me to tell me that both
suspects had been apprehended and it was safe to end the lockdown and
proceed with dismissal.  While there was additional traffic at the schools
by this time, the buses did make their rounds and all students got home as
quickly as possible.

The principals, central office staff, and police chief met this evening to
debrief and review our lockdown and communication procedures. 
Additionally, Town Manger Kate Fitzpatrick, her staff, and I met
throughout the afternoon to coordinate efforts.  

The schools will be ready on Monday to provide support students may need
to cope with this tragedy.  We are particularly mindful of any families
and students from the Broadmeadow neighborhood who may know the family or
friends involved.  Our goal on Monday will be to have a routine school
day, but we will provide whatever support may be appropriate and
necessary.  If you have a specific concern about your child's response to
the incident or the lockdown, please notify the principal or your child's
guidance counselor.

The school administration and staff, in close collaboration with the
town's emergency services, will continue to review our practices and
procedures to ensure student safety and security.  We will continue to
ensure a thoughtful, coordinated, and responsive plan is in place for
school safety and then hope that we never have to implement it again. 
Many, many thanks to Chief Leary, the Needham Police, the Town Manager's
administrative staff, and the teaching, clerical, support, and
administrative staff of the Needham Public Schools who are incredibly
caring professionals dedicated to the town and our students.  Thanks also
to parents who helped out and very patiently awaited news and information
during a long, anxious afternoon.

Finally, please know that your sons and daughters were simply terrific.
All of the principals were impressed with the respectful, calm, and
patient demeanor they exhibited.  No small task on a late Friday
afternoon!  One high school student waved to me and said:  "It was a
breeze.  We knew what to do."

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victims.

Thank you.

Dan Gutekanst
Superintendent of Schools


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.needham.mec.edu/pipermail/superintendents_update/attachments/20071102/b982c4ca/attachment.html