Windsor Central Letter to Families
From the Office of the Superintendent - January 30, 2023
Dear WCSU Families,
I wish to share my thoughts with you regarding a deeply challenging time that we all are facing. It has become commonplace that we receive news of violent acts in our nation's schools and communities. This has created an environment of heightened awareness and distrust. Daily events that we took for granted have become a potential source for catastrophe, from shopping at the grocery store to dropping a child off at school. I know that my words cannot take away those fears but I can share how our schools work to create a safe, welcoming, and positive learning environment. This is a commitment we take very seriously.
First, I want to assure you that violence has no home in our school district community. It will not be tolerated in any form. When it comes to meeting the needs of our students, our focus is on all students. In our district, all truly means all. The goal is to come together as a school community and provide support for one another in the face of the reality of potential violence in our towns and schools. To achieve this, trust between families and schools is imperative. During the pandemic, every decision we made was supported by local and federal experts, was vetted by our Board, and was communicated at the school and district level. We looked to the experts, and we acted as conservatively as we could. I believe that how we acted as leaders during Covid illustrates how seriously we take our role in ensuring safe schools.
I have heard the concerns of parents about how student behavioral issues are handled. I appreciate that not knowing the details of these events, how administrators and their team addressed the situation, and the resulting plans creates added stress for families. The challenge that administrators face is that all of that information is protected by confidentiality rights. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that prevents school personnel from releasing any student information including behavior records, school responses and/or safety plans.
Most importantly, if there is an immediate threat to our students and school, law enforcement is called without hesitation. Law enforcement determines whether or not there is a concern regarding access to weapon(s) and provides input on the potential for weapons to be on campus. Law enforcement is an active partner in our response. In the event that there is a potential school threat, there is a process that school leaders follow. Here is a link to a portion of our WCSU Emergency Operations Plan that is specific to the School Threat Assessment process. I can assure you that principals follow all of the steps in this process. This assessment requires time to assure thoroughness and accuracy.
How do we communicate when we seek to be respectful of the individual student’s right to privacy. We do so by providing the limited information that we can under FERPA. We do so by following the process and procedures outlined in our Emergency Operations Plan. We strive as an organization to create and maintain a safe learning environment for all students. While we cannot guarantee that our schools will be free from an act of violence. I can say that all school leaders and teachers strive to take those steps that will create meaningful relationships with students and families. They listen and respond to parent and student concerns, and take action where they can. I know that trusting educators is a lot to ask of families when we live in a world where violence is commonplace, but that is my hope.
Take care and be well,
Sherry Sousa
WCSU Superintendent