Dear Littleton Public Schools Families and Staff:

We are deeply saddened by the horrific event that took place at Santa Fe High School in Texas this morning. Our hearts go out to the students, staff members, families and community members who have been greatly impacted. We deeply empathize with the anguish and heartbreak a community faces when tragedy occurs. We believe that school is the best place for our students to be, and there is nothing more important to us than keeping our students and staff safe. Littleton Public Schools’ physical safety and security protocols serve as a model to others nationwide and we continue to look for ways to improve our practices and procedures.

We know it is likely that today and in the days to come, students once again may be exposed to traumatizing media coverage that could trigger strong emotions and responses. Mental health experts recommend that parents limit their children’s exposure to television and social media coverage of events like this due to the traumatic nature of the video and images. Parents may find the resources available on the district’s Family Support Services website helpful when talking about sensitive issues with your children in age-appropriate ways. “Helping Your Child Understand a Traumatic Event” is an excellent resource.

We also want to remind parents that Littleton Public Schools has numerous programs, intervention protocols and highly trained mental health professionals in place in our schools to address the needs of our students and staff.  When we learn that a student is in crisis, we immediately engage the student and the family, and we do our very best to connect them with the community resources they need. Please contact one of our school mental health professionals if your child is struggling.

We all understand that the care and vigilance of our parents, students, staff and neighbors is of critical importance to our school community.  Safety remains a top priority for LPS. Students can go to www.Safe2Tell.org or call 877-542-7233 to anonymously report anything that concerns or threatens them, their friends, family or school community. You can also contact the LPS security office at 303-347-3420, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All of us have a responsibility to tell school administrators if we have information that may affect the well-being or safety of our students or staff.

LPS is a special place in which to learn, teach and grow because of this community’s strong partnership with its schools. Please reach out to the staff at your school if you need support and continue to remind your children of just how much you love them.

Sincerely,

Brian Ewert
Superintendent