We are thinking about educators today, after yet another active shooter incident in one of our country’s schools. It’s heartbreaking and should be unimaginable. Yet now we all imagine it, every time we send our kids to school.
Thanks to educators, for always loving and protecting our kids. Teachers and staff are in classrooms all over the country today, answering questions and helping them feel safe. We are so grateful.
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Originally posted December 20th, 2013
People always say it don’t they, “It would never happen here”.
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The school district of Somerset, Wisconsin was locked down yesterday. Right as school was starting yesterday a man allegedly threatened a girl in the elementary school and that put in motion a series of events that we never thought could happen for real.
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We have prepared for it. Kids practice lockdown drills. In fact, our last one was just a few weeks ago. They all cram into a specific safe place in their classrooms, stay out of sight from the hallway doors and windows and hunker down.
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The call came through the load speakers right away in the morning, something about a “situation on campus” according to my 3rd grader (take that for what it’s worth) and they all got into their safe places. 2 hours in that safe place. Well, 1 hour and 48 minutes according to that same 3rd grader.
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I’m not sure all the details of the incident, I am just glad things turned out the way they did. It could have been much, much worse.
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My kids don’t seem any worse for wear. They were both talkative at pick-up yesterday. Telling me all about the situation. It’s not that they didn’t understand the seriousness of it, seeing a policeman come into your classroom has a way of making you understand. I give credit to the administration. I am sure the decisions made at the district offices and at our elementary school office were many. Continuing on with school the rest of the day was so important. I am sure it reassured kids that school was a safe place, that they were taken care of, and that the lockdown was just something that needed to happen to keep them safe. It reassured me.
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I give our teachers and classroom staff much credit and thanks. They must have been frightened themselves but reacted in a way that didn’t scare our kids. They must have been loving and caring and they must have said all the right things. They must have kept them quiet and occupied and calm. And they did this for 1 hour and 48 minutes, with our kids, crammed in tiny hiding places.
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My kids were happy to go to school today. It might have had something to do with holiday parties and the last day before winter break, who knows. We saw the policeman at the drop-off door and the kids waved at him and walked right in.
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So thanks to everyone at Somerset Schools and Police Department. We appreciate all you did for our kids yesterday.
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I hope for a school day filled with joy and peace