Response to Sandy Hook Tragedy

Assalam Alaikum Dear parents,
The recent horrific incident in Connecticut left everyone in shock, and rightfully so, and in fear of the safety of students at school. I followed the news, like all of you, and my heart broke for the Sandy Hook school community. May Allah protect all children from such evil.

Some parents contacted me and indicated concern about the security at Granada. I would like to inform you of our current security measures and in light of recent events, we will examine these measures and update as necessary. Alhamdulillah we have been in the same building since 1994, and Alhamdulillah we have always been safe. In addition, our school is in a busy area with close access to police and emergency response personnel.

This is what currently is in place at Granada:

• All students are supervised at all times and in all areas of the school (classroom, playground, cafeteria and the masjid) by adults who carry cell phones and can immediately report anyone on the premises who doesn’t belong.
• We have regular drills for fire, earthquake, shelter-in-place and lock-down. Our students and staff are trained for different emergencies. Just last month on 11/29, we had a lock-down drill under the supervision of Santa Clara Police officers. The SC police informed us that because our classroom doors open inward we have the added advantage of being able to barricade them which most other schools can’t do as their doors typically open outward.
• The main entrance to the school is under the supervision of the receptionist, and we have substitutes for her when she goes on her break. So the front entrance is always monitored.
• We screen whoever enters the school. Visitors or volunteers need to sign in and wear a name-tag.
• The gates to the parking lots that surround the playground are locked from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm every day.
• On Fridays we lock all the doors after the student lunch.
• We do not allow MCA or Crescent Cuisine patrons to go through our hallways.
• All our hallways have cameras videotaping any activity.

Based on the following two resources (Psychologist, School), I compiled some guidelines for parents and teachers:

As our nation continues to process this tragedy, there will be ongoing discussions taking place about the how and why in the coming days and weeks. As adults, we find ourselves in a position of not only having to process what happened, but we must also find a way to explain such horrific events to children.

We know that each family will deal with this tragedy in their own unique way. Some families will find it appropriate to allow their children to watch the ongoing news coverage and to talk about the events openly. Others, particularly those with younger children, may choose to shield their children from the news altogether with the concerns that their children will not be able to process the information. We strongly recommend that children (six and younger, especially) be shielded from discussions and news stories about the tragedy.

If you decide to talk to your child, please observe the following:

• Reassure children that the school is safe and go over the school’s security measures. What happened last Friday was horrific but extremely rare. Fifty-six million children go to school every day, and statistically they are safer than anywhere else.
• It is natural to feel upset and even frightened, but it is important not to show it in front of our kids. Otherwise we will do more harm than good.
• It is very important that kids maintain their normal routines, and their exposure to media coverage of the Sandy Hook shooting, particularly television, must be limited.
• When talking to kids about what happened in Connecticut and fielding questions, keep the lines of communication open and answer honestly but in developmentally appropriate language (talk at a level they can understand).
• Older students can handle discussions about the cases of violence in schools and the things they can do to help keep their schools safe, such as reporting strangers on campus or being observant of their classmates’ emotional states.

Knowing that each individual family will deal with this issue in their own way, we will be taking a specific approach in addressing the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy:

• The school will not be making any reference to the tragedy during morning announcements. This will ensure that we respect the decision by those families who have chosen not to expose their children to this news.
• At the elementary level (K-5), teachers will be instructed to not lead any classroom discussion about the tragedy. If a student does pose a question to a teacher, the teacher will listen to the student, and when appropriate, direct the student to talk to her later in private.
• At the upper grade level (6-8), classroom discussion may occur, particularly in those classes where it is appropriate to have such a discussion.

May Allah always protect us from all harm.

Sincerely,

Nihad M. Mourad

Principal