Dear St. Francis School Families:
The recent news out of Uvalde, Texas hits close to home for us all, and we stand alongside the Uvalde community in mourning the devastating losses from these tragic events. We are a community of teachers and families dedicated to providing a safe, warm, joyful place for our children to learn and grow together. This news is jarring for every single one of us and threatens our sense of security. Just so you’re aware, St. Francis School personnel meet regularly with local police to go over security and safety plans for each campus, including how best to prepare for and respond to an intruder situation.
As you know, a fundamental part of our Mission is to cultivate a joyful and compassionate community. From our classroom interactions to our family-school partnership, we are on this journey together. For now, we want to share with you a few resources that you may find helpful in processing difficult news with your children should they have questions:
- Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers from the National Association of School Psychologists
- School Shooting Resources from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Helping Students After a School Shooting from the American School Counselor Association
As we move into the summer break, please know that we are already hard at work preparing for the next school year in order to welcome your children back on campus in the most joyful and safest way possible.
We wish you a restful and relaxing summer!
Sincerely,
St. Francis School Leadership Team
—
Greg Borders, Associate Head of School, Operations and Finance
Zak Cohen, Director of Middle School
Suzanne Gorman, Associate Head of School – Downtown Campus
Jen Griffith, Director of Lower School
Carolyn Hannan ‘99, Director of Marketing and Communications
Bethany Heckel, Director of Advancement
Renee Hennessy, Director of Preschool
Shelly Jones, Associate Head of School – Goshen Campus, Teaching and Learning
Ralph Marshall, Dean of Faculty, Downtown Campus
Alexandra Thurstone G’80, ‘84, Head of School