The Ditson Buzz ๐๐๐
Ditson Family Newsletter - August 23, 2024
Dear Ditson Families,
As part of our ongoing commitment to student and staff safety, all Billerica Public Schools staff participated in training on the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) with the I Love U Guys Foundation during our November 3 Professional Development day, in collaboration with our local police, fire, and EMS partners. The SRP provides a common language and consistent procedures to help our school communities respond to a variety of situations. In the coming weeks, students will also be introduced to the SRP through age-appropriate instruction using this video and this storybook.
Ensuring the safety of our youngest students is a shared responsibility between school, home, and the community. Part of this involves preparing for emergencies in a calm, age-appropriate way. By using simple language, modeling calm behavior, and giving students opportunities to practice, we can teach them safety actions without causing fear.
Many schools across the country use the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) from The โI Love U Guysโ Foundation, which includes five actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. These clear, simple steps help children understand and respond to both emergencies and unusual events at school.
Before learning some of these skills, we will be teaching students about people who help them stay safe in the community, at school, and at home. When teaching about helpers in the community, we will talk about the first responders who help us when we need it.
Here is how you can help support your child at home with these discussions:
- Address Questions: Encourage questions and offer honest, comforting answers. โข Practice: Role-play to reinforce what they learned about safety actions.
- Monitor Emotions: Watch for any anxiety or fear and provide support.
- Encourage Communication: Let them know itโs okay to talk about their feelings.
- Identify Helpers: People who keep your child safe at home during an emergency
- Personal Information: Teach your child their full name, address, and phone number. Practice it frequently. By working together and handling these discussions with care, we can help children feel confident and prepared. Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep our students safe.
Please click HERE to review the parent guide to learn more about the protocol and the shared language we use to support a safe school environment. Thank you for your continued support.
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We are excited to share that Ms. Pedersen, one of our school social workers, will be accompanied by Moose, a two-year-old Chocolate Labrador Retriever, at Ditson Elementary School beginning with one day per week.
Moose is a certified therapy dog through Dog B.O.N.E.S. of Massachusetts (Dogs Building Opportunities for Nurturing and Emotional Support). Therapy dogs are different from service dogs in that they work alongside their handler as a therapy dog team to provide comfort, companionship, and emotional support to others, including students and staff. Research has shown that interactions with therapy dogs can have a positive impact on children's social, emotional, and academic development. Therapy dogs can help promote reading confidence, communication skills, emotional regulation, and self-esteem while providing opportunities for students to practice compassion, empathy, responsibility, and respect. Their calming presence may also help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
Ditson Elementary School has welcomed therapy dogs in the past, and some families may remember our previous therapy dog, Cooper. We are excited to bring this opportunity back to our school community!
Moose will be supervised, kept on a leash at all times while at school, and will not be in the cafeteria. His visits may include classrooms, small group sessions, and individualized student support. All interactions with Moose are voluntary. We recognize that some students may have allergies, fears, or other concerns related to dogs. If your child has a dog allergy, fear of dogs, or you prefer that your child not participate in interactions with Moose, please indicate this on the attached form.
If you DO NOT want your child to have contact with a therapy dog, please complete this GOOGLE FORM by Friday, November 20th. If you have any questions or concerns or would like more information, please contact Sarah Pedersen, School Social Worker at 978-528-8512 or spedersen@billericak12.com.
