--In the wake of the tragedy in Connecticut, I want to take a moment to reassure you that we take the safety of our children very seriously here at Woodland. As educators, we understand the preciousness of the lives we are entrusted to look
after. We strive to do what we can to make sure that all of our children are safe. 

I want to share with you some of the safety precautions we currently have in place at Woodland.   First of all, as you are aware, we have a security vestibule that funnels everyone in through the office after all of our children get here at 7:45. The interior entry door is locked and the only way into the main building is through the office. 

Other outside doors located outside the fenced back playground area remain locked throughout the day. The fence that surrounds the back of the building remains locked also. Fourteen security cameras monitor entrances and hallways at all times. The monitor for those cameras is on my desk beside my computer screen for ease of viewing.

Each teacher has a safety plan located on a clipboard by their classroom door. This plan goes through each of our safety drills step by step so that there is no question about what to do in a given situation. This information is provided to local law enforcement officials so that they can be familiar with the procedures we follow in case of an emergency. The safety plan is also readily accessible should we have a substitute in the room. 

We conduct safety drills regularly. We will, as always, go over each of our drills again as soon as we come back from Winter Break in January. As you process this information, please feel free to contact me or your child’s teacher if you have any questions. 

Kim Parsley, Principal

Attached you will find guidance for discussing the tragic school shooting in Connecticut with your child.   

Talking to Kids About Violence