As we recently welcomed back Graham Elementary and Southern View Elementary, our two balanced calendar schools, and look forward to upcoming registration and beginning of the school year for all of students and staff during the month of August, it is not lost on District 186 that our community has faced yet another horrific and preventable death that will forever shape all of our lives. At our last Board of Education meeting we began with a moment of silence for Sonya Massey and her family and we also paused to wish for the swift recovery and memory of District 186 students who have suffered at the hands of gun accidents and violence in our community. This is reprehensible and sadly becoming all too familiar. The District will participate in the upcoming healing circle conversations and will continue to advocate for social emotional learning and the well-being of our students, staff and families.
On behalf of District 186, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Sonya Massey. As our community continues to process and heal from this senseless death of one of our parents, we are committed to standing with our community partners to provide support, restorative conversations and continue to create learning opportunities that provide hope and individual determination for each student that we serve during the school year, after school and throughout the summer months.
Without a doubt, fear, confusion, and anxiety exist among our students, staff and families when any loss of life occurs in such a horrific manner and even more so when it is at the hands of those that we should trust. It is crucial for us, as a community, to come together to provide reassurance and a sense of safety for every child in our care as well as staff and families.
We greatly appreciate the response of our community, the numerous events in which the District and Board of Education members have and will continue to participate in, and the outpouring of support that we have witnessed across our city this summer as we address the needs of our families. We encourage our community to continue showing compassion and offer helping hands and hearts to our fellow neighbors in their time of need. It is through our collective strength and unity that we will navigate this challenging time and create lasting change.
As we welcome students back to school in the coming weeks, we encourage students who need support to reach out to a trusted adult at their school and our District will be ready to provide a safe space for conversation and healing.