Dear Families,
Over vacation, we spent much of our energy focused on the move all while the world watched as a sovereign nation was invaded. As adults, the crisis is extremely difficult to watch and understand. Our children are also having a difficult time figuring out why this is happening and what it all means. They are exposed to news in many ways through images on the television, computers, social media, or they could be hearing other children talk about it. As I walked around the building this week, I heard children talking about what they've heard or seen. Many students wanted to speak to their teachers about the war in Ukraine. They were trying to make sense of what they were hearing and how it affected them.
As educators, we often need to address our students' concerns either inside the classroom or on the playground during recess. Sometimes these moments are directly led by us, and other times they're situational and prompted by the child's curiosity or advocacy. Our goal is always to do this in a developmentally and appropriate way. We rely on education and child development experts for resources and proper material.
This newsletter aims to share resources you can use at home and our teachers' resources to address this topic. We will continue to share our resources with you and keep you informed of classroom discussions.
As a community and school, we offer our support to students and families affected by the unfolding tragic events. Please reach out to us if you require additional school resources or would like someone on our SEL team to check in with your child. We remain committed to promoting peace and belonging in our school community and extend our heartfelt wishes to Ukrainians everywhere.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Phelan
