GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Green Bay Area Public School District has issued a statement regarding the school shooting that took place in Texas.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott informed everyone during a press conference that 14 children and one teacher has been killed during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Through these trifling times, Green Bay Area Public School District Interim Superintendent Vicki Bayer sent the following email to parents:
With great sadness, I share my most heartfelt sympathy to the students, parents, staff and community of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Once again, we are faced with the incredible pain of the families of the students and the teacher who did not survive another senseless tragedy.
Recognizing the anxiety today’s active shooter situation in Texas may cause our students, know that during school hours our Student Services staff are available to support them. I encourage staff and parents/guardians to visit the National Association of School Psychologists website to learn more about talking to children about violence. I also want to remind staff that the Employee Resource Center is a free resource, and encourage you to reach out if you need support.
Whenever there is school violence, it causes fear and anxiety for parents and family members as well. There is no one simple answer to school safety; however, the District’s administration and Board of Education are committed to student and staff well-being. We take a holistic approach to school safety, addressing it in several different ways. One is through creating a safe building, which includes a secured entrance and keeping all doors locked. Another approach is through training and drills. The District was one of the first school districts in the area to adopt ALICE training (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate), which was developed in response to lessons learned from previous school shootings. Each of our schools has a school safety team and school security protocols outlining step-by-step measures to address safety/security concerns. In addition, the District works collaboratively with our local law enforcement and has School Resource Officers who work in the District, serving all school buildings.
We also recognize that it is important for students to have caring relationships with adults in our schools. In addition to classroom teachers and paraprofessionals, there are many District and school staff, community partners, and volunteers who create caring relationships with our students.
Finally, one of the most important actions any of us can take to keep schools safe is if you hear or see anything – say something. Information may be reported anonymously at Speak Up/Speak Out or at Crime Stoppers.
We take our responsibility to educate and keep our students and staff safe very seriously. Please take care of each other.
Vicki Bayer, Interim Superintendent
President Joe Biden has already ordered that the flags at the White House, federal buildings, and military posts be flown at half-staff for the victims of a deadly shooting.
For more information about the Green Bay Area Public School District, click here.
