January 7, 2021
Dear AP School Community,
Yesterday, citizens gathered at our nation’s capital to protest the results of the recent presidential election. During the event, the United States Capitol building in Washington, DC, was breached. These alarming events, coupled with the reality of the current pandemic, can be particularly frightening for some students. Children can experience feelings of confusion, sadness, helplessness, anger and anxiety as they try to make sense out of the news in the world around them. Experts agree that talking to your child about conflicts in the news can help him or her understand what has happened so they can feel safe and begin to cope with the situation.
Attached are tips from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network to help you in your discussions at https://www.nctsn.org/resources/suggestions-educators-helping-traumatized-children-school
Additional resources to aid in at-home conversations can be found at: https://www.apa.org/topics/talking-children https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/helping-children-with-tragic-events-in-the-news
If your child needs extra support, please feel free to reach out to your building administrator, social worker or counselor, or peruse the resources at http://allenparksocialworkers.weebly.com/
As leaders in our school community, we recognize that news events such as this reinforce our need to continue to persevere in building a culturally proficient and globally aware community.
Through education, love, patience and acceptance, we can continue to guide our children to be empowered global stewards who have a positive impact on our community, country, and world.
Sincerely,
Michael H. Darga
Superintendent of Schools
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