Dear East Hartford Public Schools Families and Community,
With sadness, once again, our nation is grappling with the aftermath of mass shootings this past Wednesday in Lewiston, Maine. There were at least 18 lives taken, numerous people wounded, and countless families, and friends impacted locally and throughout our country. My deepest sympathy and condolences go to those who were taken and injured and to the families of everyone affected.
The power of positive relationships is immeasurable. As human beings, we inherently desire communication, attention, and appreciation from others. The role of educators has increasingly shifted to include more than cultivating a child’s math computation and reading ability or critical and analytical thinking skills. In partnership with you – our families - our focus also includes helping our children become more compassionate and caring people who are socially aware, ethical, empathetic, and self-aware. If your child should need more support during this time, know that our staff in our schools are here to help. In addition, please consider using this valuable resource to support you in discussions about violence with your child. Compassion and empathy for other human beings are needed now more than ever.
We are once again dealing with an irreversible and heart-wrenching tragic situation. Please continue working with us to strengthen positive relationships and increase positive human interactions. I strongly believe that it is our personal responsibility as community members and parents/caregivers to help uplift and empower our children while supporting our educators and staff to nurture greater empathy and compassion in our students.
We want our students to be people who can think for themselves, understand the impact of their actions, and value their fellow human beings no matter their differences. Thank you for partnering with us in guiding our children to make a positive impact while being upstanders.
Sincerely,
Thomas Anderson
Superintendent
East Hartford Public Schools