All of us at the Moravia Central School District join the rest of the nation in mourning those lost and wounded in the recent tragedies in New York City, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. The events of September 11, 2001 have deeply affected millions of Americans, especially our children who may feel scared or confused, and are especially vulnerable during such times and look to adults for information and guidance. You can help your children by first and foremost establishing a sense of safety and security and letting them know you are there for them. Our mission is to make the world a better place for our children through education. With this in mind, we have worked with several family and governmental organizations to put together some links and suggestions that may help you and your children cope with this tragedy. From SchoolPop:
From Scholastic: Go to Scholastic.com to find comprehensive resources. Scholastic's news staff is in constant touch with its team of teacher advisors, and is updating coverage to meet your changing classroom needs for information and support. Scholastic's special online report includes Teacher and Parent Support: Advice for teachers and parents on how to discuss the attacks with their children. Dr. Bruce Perry, Scholastic adviser, internationally recognized child trauma expert, and consultant on Columbine and the Oklahoma City bombings, includes advice on the following:
From the United States Secretary of Education: Secretary Paige announced "Helping Children Understand the Terrorist Attacks," a new webpage that suggests ways adults can talk with children about the attacks. The webpage also offers suggestions for educators, as well as links to additional resources that may be helpful to parents, teachers, & other adults who work with children. Paige also announced that the department's Web site will feature suggestions for adults with children & for educators in order to offer help to the children who may be struggling with the terrorist attacks & the images & stories of terror & destruction that they have been exposed to in recent days. "As adults, we must offer them our undivided attention & unequivocal support," Paige said. "All adults should be concerned about how well the children in their lives understand what has taken place. Families & teachers alike should know that they play a central role in helping children to understand what has taken place, to separate fact from fiction & to establish a sense of safety. There are simple things adults can do -- but the most important is to listen to & talk to the children in their lives. They also need to watch for signs of unusual behavior & take steps to limit exposure to television & Internet imagery."
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