Supporting Students Through Conflict in the World

October 2023

Dear NECSD families, faculty, and staff,

I'm so sorry to be writing to you in response to yet another violent and tragic situation unfolding in our world today. First and foremost, please know that we are here for all of our students and families. We join you in being shocked, saddened, and so deeply concerned for the humanity lost and forever impacted by these events. We stand together against terrorism and the terrible violence against the innocent, regardless of location or circumstance. 

We know that such acts of incomprehensible violence are profoundly disturbing, whether they are happening close to home or across the globe. We also know that, for our children and families, this situation may create feelings of fear and anxiety over these current events or resurface trauma from previous experiences. Please know that our  Social Emotional Learning educators are prepared to assist and support our children should they find themselves struggling with stress, fear and/or anxiety that news of these events may cause. If you have any concerns about your child’s emotional well-being, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, school counselor, social worker, school psychologist, and/or principal.

Over the course of the week, we have also learned of concerning reports of videos and images being shared via social media with the intent of troubling children. Viewing graphic imagery can be traumatizing for anyone, even if they are personally removed from the specific situation. Misinformation can also be spread through social media, fueling animosity, anxiety, and trauma for our children. We remind our families to be informed and aware of what your children are viewing on their personal electronic devices. 

Some helpful resources for educators, parents/guardians/caregivers, and school leaders to support our community in navigating these delicate conversations can be found below

Resources for Educators:

• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network on how to talk to your children about war
• Education Week: How Teachers Can Talk About Hard Things With Students
• American Psychological Association: Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children
• American Psychological Association: Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children
• CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL: Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process of acquiring knowledge skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, and feel and show empathy for others.

Resources for Parents/Guardians and caregivers:

Conversation Starters:

• UNICEF: How to talk to your children about conflict and war
• Common Sense Media: Explaining the News to Our Kids

Online Safety:

• Family Online Safety Institute: How to be a Good Digital Parent Toolkit
• Childwelfare.gov: Social Media Safety

We are thankful to have partners in our parents/guardians in supporting our children. 

Respectfully,

Dr. Jackielyn Manning Campbell
Superintendent of Schools

ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!