Tallmadge Families:


Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, staff, and community of Uvalde as they face this senseless tragedy. 


At the Tallmadge City School District the safety and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority.  All of our schools are equipped with state of the art safety, security, and surveillance systems. We also have full-time School Resource Officers present on both campuses during the school day.  In addition to Officer Quillen and Officer Dornack, there will be extra police presence at the school buildings for the remaining days of this school year. 

 

As we learn more about yesterday’s horrific act of violence, we naturally think about our preparedness for such an event here at home. The Tallmadge School-City Emergency Preparedness Team meets routinely to review and practice safety plans, always preparing for events we pray never happen. We are grateful for our close relationship with Tallmadge Police and Tallmadge Fire and for their guidance and support in these efforts.

 

Even as we create and review safety protocols, however, one thing is not lost on us: one of the best ways to prevent tragedies like yesterday’s is to create a school culture of love, caring, and trust. Our mission is to treat each student as if they were our own, to help our students develop character traits that emphasize empathy and inclusiveness, and to develop trusting relationships with students so they feel comfortable talking to an adult when they have concerns for themselves or others.

Parents, please remind your children that if they ever have any information about potential threats to school safety they should report their concerns to a school employee immediately so that the concern can be investigated thoroughly. You and your child also may call the Keep Tallmadge Safe Helpline at (877) 265-6534 or text 66746, then type TIPS. This tip line serves our community 24 hours a day, whenever a student or concerned adult senses a threat to student safety. The call center guarantees the anonymity of the person who calls or texts. 

It is natural for children to feel or express fear or confusion as they learn about this horrible situation. Please know that our school counselors are available to assist and provide support for students who may have concerns.  As we talk with our children about these senseless tragedies, it is important that we are ever mindful of their social and emotional well-being.   To that end, we are providing a few tools that may be of help to you in talking with your children about violence.   Please take the time to review the links below and use those you find helpful.  

Together, we can work to ensure that the Tallmadge City School District will maintain a safe environment, allowing us to focus on our students’ academic success.

Again, our heartfelt condolences go out to the Uvalde community. Thank you for your continued support.

Steve Wood
Superintendent
Tallmadge City School District

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American Psychological Association: Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting

National Association of School Psychologists: Talking to Children about Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event

ABC News article on how to talk to kids after Texas shooting

Additional trauma-related resources are available on our Family Hub

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