Parents,
I come to you heartbroken following the tragic loss of life at a school in Uvalde, Texas. Yesterday’s horrifying events, unfortunately, come on the heels of other recent acts of violence, both large and small, in communities across our commonwealth and country. Schools should serve as havens of safety, connection, and belonging, and it is incomprehensible to consider such events each time they unfold. My heart is aching for all the families who are living through every parent’s greatest fear and worst nightmare: a shooting in their children’s school. As a parent, educator, and human being, I am filled with grief for the families, students, and community.
These tragedies always bring fears about our own children’s safety to the surface. Although we can never make absolute guarantees, I do want to take a moment to answer a few of the questions that I am sure are on all of your minds. The Indiana Area School District takes a multi-layered approach to school safety, which includes physical security, emergency preparedness, and well-trained staff. Over the past four years, IASD has been working extensively to improve our school safety. This includes the employment of armed security guards who are retired state police officers, frequent patrols and random assessments conducted by the state police and/or Indiana Borough Police, general preparedness and drill training for staff and students, Active Shooter Response training, life-safety training (similar to Stop the Bleed training), mandatory threat assessment training for administration, the incorporation of the Safe2Say system, Youth Mental Health First Aid training for staff, a new secured entryway at East Pike Elementary, a safety audit conducted by the District’s security provider, and purchasing of new video surveillance equipment to name a few. I encourage our families to reach out to our Safety Director, Mr. Mike Travis, or your child(ren)’s principal to discuss our plans and to express any concerns and questions they may have regarding school safety.
We are also investing significant resources into preventative measures to keep our children safe. Over the past several months I have written to you to make you aware of the challenges we have been facing and the work we are doing to strengthen our systems of support for our students and staff. Most importantly, I want to remind our families of the various supports that exist in our community for anyone who may be in need of emotional and physical support. Families can click here for some suggestions from the National Association of School Psychologists as well as some additional resources compiled by our school counselors and psychologists.
Our Board of Directors, Administrators, and Staff are committed to increasing and improving the services we can provide in our schools. The District has increased the number of school psychologists from 1.75 (in 2018-2019) to 4 full-time staff in 2022-2023. Additionally, the District has partnered with an outside agency to bring in 6 mental health workers who are trained to implement evidence-based interventions for students in need. They work under the supervision of 2 board-certified behavior analysts in our schools. Our team also includes dedicated and knowledgeable school nurses and counselors to further support our students with any challenges they may encounter.
We have also implemented a multi-tiered system of support (MTTS) for our students in grades K-5, and work is underway to expand the framework to the secondary level. Our website is filled with a great deal of information to further support families in need of additional resources, and I encourage you to review them. While there is more work to be done, the District has been working relentlessly to teach students alternatives to violence, including peaceful conflict resolution and positive interpersonal relationship skills through a variety of evidence-based programs and interventions. This includes PATHS, Aggression Replacement Training, Skillstreaming, Bounce Back, and Coping Cat to name a few. Click here for additional mental health resources made available 24/7 through the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
The recent events in our own District as well as across the county, including the shootings in Buffalo and now in Texas, remind us of the need to be vigilant in our work. In this time of uncertainty, please know that our District takes these events and concerns very seriously; student and staff safety is critical to our school community. People are hurting, and the District is here to help. There are school supports available as briefly enumerated above as well as community services for families to access. These include the Open Door Crisis Center and the Community Guidance Center.
In the meantime, I ask that we come together as a community in grief, but also in solidarity. Indiana is a wonderful place to raise a family, and we can all come together to support our students and each other as people are experiencing a variety of emotions, and rightfully so. We ask that you talk with your children and remind them that their school is a safe place and that we are united in our commitment to the safety of our schools, staff, and students. This work needs the support and assistance of our entire community. Simply referring a concern to the school, the police, or via the Safe2Say app is a huge step in the right direction and assists us in keeping our schools safe. This includes all social media threats and/or concerns you may come across. This will help us be alert and responsive in dealing with these sorts of matters. Once again, I am asking for your consideration, compassion, and support.
Sincerely,
Mr. Michael J. Vuckovich
Superintendent of Schools