Dear LCPS families and staff,
We are all saddened to hear about the fatal school shooting in Georgia today. These senseless acts of violence have no place in our society, but especially in our schools. It is a stark reminder that we must come together as a community and do our part to put an end to tragedies like this.
Schools are reflections of the communities they serve, which means we all play a role in keeping one another safe. At LCPS, the Office of Safety and Security has rigorous plans in place at each of our schools to handle emergency situations. We work with our local law enforcement partners to prepare for emergencies and regularly practice our safety procedures with students and staff through discussions and emergency exercises. We actively prioritize doing everything we can to keep students and staff safe while at school.
We also ask families to remind students about the importance of bringing information about dangerous situations to adults at the school so that we can respond quickly and appropriately to protect their safety.
Both families and staff play an important role in helping our children communicate about and cope with challenges in their lives—what they are seeing on television, how they deal with anger and frustration, and what they might be feeling about their relationships with other students. Parents should also feel free to talk with administrators and staff about any concerns they have. The more we work together as partners, the more prepared we are.
Together, we will continue to promote a culture where everyone has a responsibility to be vigilant and focused on safety as we look out for one another. We know that these are difficult topics and they come with a lot of emotion. Should you or your students need any support resources, we have mental health professionals available to help any students with questions they may have or difficulties they might experience. Students or parents may reach out to SMHSleadershipteam@lcps.org and provide the best phone number to contact you. One of our team members will be in touch within 24 hours.
Aaron Spence, Ed.D.
Superintendent