West Des Moines Superintendent Shares Resources to Help Parents Talk to Children About Connecticut Tragedy

West Des Moines School Superintendent Peter Ansingh today reassured parents about school safety protocols and offered parents tips on how to talk to their children after the worst school shooting in American history in Newport, CN today.

He included links to the district’s mental health resources page.

Here is the full text of his email:

Dear West Des Moines Community Schools Families:

Today, my thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of the Connecticut elementary school tragedy. As we hear such news we are reminded how important it is for our schools to provide the safest possible learning and working environments for our students and staff.

Please know that the West Des Moines Community Schools has safety and crisis protocols for such situations in place that were developed with input from law enforcement. We will continue to be vigilant in our efforts to keep our students and schools safe.

In addition, we know such news can be confusing and difficult for children. If you are seeking information about how to help children at home deal with tragic news, please feel to reference the resources below. Also know that our school counselors are here during school hours to help students.

•www.helpguide.org/mental/disaster_recovery_trauma_stress_coping.htm#comfort
• www.wdmcs.org/mental-health-resources/

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help in any way.

Dr. Peter Ansingh,
WDMCS Superintendent