Chinook's Edge School Division officials responded immediately to assist staff in handling any potential emotional fallout with students from the horrific Dec. 14 shooting tragedy at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School.As well, the division's Occupational Health and Safety Committee has been tasked to review its emergency response protocols.“They do this regularly but will revisit these procedures in the wake of the tragedy,” said Kurt Sacher, superintendent of schools.He said senior administrators worked throughout the weekend on Dec. 15 and 16 to create a communications package to assist staff to help any student who may have required guidance to come to terms with the tragedy, an event that horrified the world when gunman Adam Lanza stormed into Sandy Hook and killed 20 elementary school children and six adults.“This was disturbing to all of us, and of course we were all deeply saddened. Our thoughts and our prayers went out to all the families,” said Sacher, adding the division's central office leadership team responded immediately to put the necessary protocols in place.“We did circulate the information to all administrators reminding them of the protocols. Administrators were fully prepared to move forward,” he added. “There are resources available, including a family wellness team and the preparations were made if needed.”He said the guidelines were then shared widely with staff who were urged to proceed with “age- appropriate” discussions with students.“These discussions with students, from kindergarten to Grade 12, can be very different,” said Sacher, adding it was important for everyone to note the “intense” around-the-clock media focus that was placed on the tragedy.“As horrific as it was we had to remind people that this sort of event was extremely rare in Canada,” he said, adding the last major shooting tragedy in Alberta was in 1999 at Taber's W. R. Myers High School where one student was killed and another seriously injured.He said discussions with the staff and students were made to ensure there was a balance of having an understanding and coming to terms with the tragedy while not creating any unnecessary alarm. As well, said Sacher, it was important to encourage everyone with the need to move forward, particularly with the Christmas season ahead.In the meantime, the division's Occupational Health and Safety Committee, comprised of a safety manager, associate superintendent for corporate services, facilities director, director of transportation, a human resources representative and a school nurse, will be taking a second look at the division's emergency response protocols.The division also has policies on bomb threats and lockdowns which are reviewed at the school level and by the safety manager on an annual basis, said Allan Tarnoczi, the division's associate superintendent.He said the committee handles a number of tasks with a goal of improving student and staff safety.The committee is responsible for reviewing accidents and internal incidents, emergency preparedness at both school and district levels, health and safety practices and procedures, recommendations from the annual safety audit, and reviews of incidents outside the school division.“Our team is vigilant about emergency response protocols,” said Sacher. “We feel quite confident our schools are safe.”
