Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are all so deeply saddened by the shootings that have taken place in Aurora, Colorado. A tragedy such as this brings great stress and concern to people of all ages, but most especially to children who may have the greatest difficulty processing such a senseless event. As you know, there has been extensive media coverage focusing on information related to and images of the shootings. Although you may be able to limit media access in the home, it remains difficult to completely shelter children from the details of this tragedy.

The Traumatic Loss Coalition (TLC) has provided school districts with two documents entitled, Community Tragedy: Stress, Trauma and Media Overload and Helping Youth Following Mass Violence that contain guidelines and suggestions that will be helpful for parents and caregivers in answering questions and providing comfort to children. Strategies are included for assisting youth in regaining/maintaining their sense of safety and security during a difficult time such as this. Please follow the links below to access the documents.

• Stress, Trauma and Media Overload
• Talking Points Helping Youth Following Mass Violence

If you have any questions or need further assistance or guidance, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Patricia Callander
Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Services
732-751-2480 x3805