Dear Bates,
Yesterday was a fun morning with the Halloween parade and also games for students who chose to play in the gym. Afterwards at the Principal Coffee, I shared information about our school safety measures and the safety drills we will conduct in November. Specifically, I shared that after school on Wednesday, November 13 the Bates staff will participate in our annual active shooter drill with the Wellesley Police Department. This safety drill ensures that the adults in the building are prepared in the event of an emergency. The Bates campus and playgrounds will be closed from 12:30 – 1:30 pm on November 13 for this drill.
Student Emergency Drill
In addition, on Wednesday, November 20 Bates students will participate in an emergency drill. This is an opportunity to prepare students to respond to a potential emergency by evacuation. Our Safety Resource Officer Kathy Poirier and another WPD officer will be at Bates to help facilitate the drill. Our communication to students will emphasize that Bates continues to be a very safe environment. Students will understand that practicing how to respond to various emergencies, such as a fire or a situation in the building, helps us to be prepared. Sample teacher language may include: “If something unsafe is happening in the building, like a water leak, we will leave.” Students may also hear, “If someone or something is in the building who doesn’t belong here and wants to do us harm, we should try to leave as quickly as possible. Or we might lock the doors and make sure they can’t come in.” Families will receive an email from the classroom teacher shortly after the emergency drill, letting you know about the conversation in your child’s classroom.
Parents may want to follow up by asking their child about what they learned and offering reassuring messages. The following resources from The Child Mind Institute may be helpful: Talking to Children About Emergency Plans and What to Do (and Not Do) When Children Are Anxious. If you think your child will need support at any point please reach out to your child’s teacher.
On a very different note, Happy Diwali to those families in our community who are celebrating this holiday. Also, as Daylight Savings ends this weekend, don’t forget to turn your clocks back an hour. Finally, please note that next Thursday, November 7 is an additional half-day for students, with a 12:00 dismissal for Parent Teacher Conferences.
Warmly,
Toni
Important Dates: