Needham Superintendent: 'Remembering Newtown By Taking Action'

In a few weeks we will pause and remember the innocent lives taken at Sandy Hook Elementary School during a violent and horrific rampage that shocked the country and prompted a national conversation—once again—about gun control, mental illness, and school safety,” writes Superintendent of Schools Dan Gutekanst in his latest blog post.

Gutekanst said he often reminds principals that “job one” in his mind is school safety, with everything else falling into second place.

“Fortunately, here in Needham our principals and teachers embrace that responsibility with resolve and purpose in an ongoing effort to review school safety protocols, procedures, and practices,” he writes.

This year, he points out that the town and school administrators have been involved in: reviewing the Massachusetts Task Force on School Safety and Security; reviewing safety procedures and holding emergency drills and lockdowns; forming the Needham Schools Emergency Advisory Team; health and safety committees meet to discuss safety, health and wellbeing.

“We still have more work ahead of us; school safety and security requires regular and ongoing discussion and planning,” he writes, adding that on Dec. 14, we are all reminded why this work is important.

Read the entire blog post here.