Superintendent: Darien Schools' Additional Response to School Shooting

Darien Superintendent of Schools Stephen Falcone sent the following letter to parents of students in the school district. Boldface has been added to one sentence below:

Dear Parents,

We are deeply saddened by the events that occurred in Newtown last Friday.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Newtown as well as all those who have been impacted by this tragedy.

I did want to share with you some information regarding our district response.

• Each school will conduct a staff meeting on Monday morning prior to the start of the school day to remind faculty and staff about ways to care for children and adults during times of great sadness and loss. We have mental health professionals in the district who can provide support and we have been approached by people from a number of community organizations who have offered to support us in any way that would be needed.  We are grateful for this outpouring of assistance.  If you have concerns about your child's well-being, please contact your respective school administrators to plan and coordinate an appropriate response.

• In conjunction with Fairfield County Superintendents, we have reached out to our friends in Newtown to determine how we can best provide support.  I do believe that a statewide vigil is being planned for next weekend.  We can update you as additional information becomes available.

• We continue to review our security systems and practices to ensure the safety of our buildings.  Your cooperation in adhering to our guidelines is appreciated.

We are very fortunate to live and work in such a caring community and I want to thank you for the concern you have expressed these past few days.  We will need to work together to support our students and families in this time when compassion, courage, and resolve are necessary.

Stephen V. Falcone
Superintendent 
Darien Public Schools

Editor's note: This article originally was published on Sunday. The time stamp has been changed for layout purposes on the Home page of Darien Patch.