Anxiety usually comes during the start of a new school year as students, teachers, and parents do not know what to expect from the new year. Anxiety also seems to be prevalent during testing time as students, parents, and teachers all realize the importance of doing well. The Christmas season at schools is normally a time of celebration and fun as we are winding down from the first semester. Typically we are enjoying music and plays that the students have practiced so diligently on for several weeks. However, this holiday season has brought a sense of anxiety upon us with the tragic event in Connecticut last Friday. This morning at Adair County Middle School a student requested that our entire school take a moment to silently remember all those who were involved in the tragedy. As I sat for the moment of silence, pictures and stories that I had seen on the news and on Facebook flashed through my mind: the heroic teachers, the innocent children, the sadness. I am sure that many others in the building were feeling the same emotions and remembering the events as portrayed in the media since Friday.
While we continue to keep that community in our thoughts and prayers, we cannot help but have the “what if’s” run through our minds. We have no guarantee in anything that we do that no harm is going to come to us. We do, however, have to have faith and trust in those that are in positions to protect us—law enforcement, emergency personnel, and in this case, school personnel. We want to help relieve some of the anxiety of the past events by letting you know that our staff is reviewing safety procedures, looking for any areas of concern, addressing those concerns, and practicing emergency drills with our students.
Please feel free to contact the school with any questions or concerns you may have. Our first priority is keeping our children safe!
Sincerely,
Alma Rich
ACMS Principal
