Dear TESD Families and Staff,

As the war unfolds in Israel and Gaza, we recognize the conflict is impacting students, families and staff in our own community. TESD continues to condemn acts of terror and violence against innocent people and to support tolerance and peace.

Deeply disturbing reports continue to surface from the region. It is natural for children to want to talk about what they are hearing and seeing. There are some family resources included below for your consideration if you are discussing the situation with your children. Some of the themes include monitoring or restricting social media activity to avoid exposure to violent actions toward civilians and avoiding persistent, detailed coverage of the news story. There are many different approaches and resources. These are a few recommended by our mental health specialists.

Common Sense Media informs our District’s digital citizenship work and provides these general resources:

How do I talk to my kids about violence in the news?

Explaining the News to Our Kids

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides the following resource:

Talking to Children about War

School resources are available for students, families, and staff who may seek counseling or support.  Please reach out to your school counselors or administrators as needed. The TESD Student Emotional Well-Being brochure lists resources available to your child in school.

In TESD, we value our diversity and our willingness to care for each other in difficult moments.  I have seen this in our schools this week and trust that our entire community will support one another through this time.

Sincerely,

Dr. Richard Gusick

Superintendent of Schools