Sample staff letter or memo

							Sample staff letter or memo


An Important Reminder About School Safety

Over the next several days, there will be a great deal of media coverage and conversation about
the tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech. Children may have questions or share fears regarding
their safety. As school employees, it’s only natural that we may have concerns or questions as
well.

We will review our safety plans and procedures at a special staff meeting at <insert time> on
<insert day of week, date>. The meeting will be held in the <insert room/meeting location>. In
particular, it's vitally important that staff IDs are visible and worn at all times.

In the meantime, please make sure that sign-in and sign-out procedures for students, parents,
volunteers and other campus guests are strictly observed, with appropriate ID provided. Staff IDs
should be visible and worn at all times while on campus. All parent visitors and volunteers should
also wear name tags. Entrances and exits should be patrolled regularly, and individuals without
proper ID/name tags should be escorted to the main office by school personnel.

Please encourage students and parents to share any safety concerns they may have with a
teacher, counselor or an administrator. Or, they may contact Crime Stoppers, 704-334-1600. A
resource talking with children about school safety and violence may be found at the National
Association of School Psychologists web site:

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/talkingviolence.pdf

While these precautions are important, please keep in mind that research shows the best way to
prevent school violence is to ensure that all students feel connected to the school and have
strong relationships with caring, competent adults at school and in the community. Students who
feel connected are also more likely to sound the alarm and tell an adult if concerns do arise.

As we enter the final weeks of school, we know you will continue to do everything possible to
make sure our students are safe and feel secure while at school. If you have any specific safety
concerns or questions, please contact me immediately.

Sincerely,