Editor’s note: Hemet Unified School District issued this statement to parents and guardians of students Friday, May 27. HUSD then gave a list of online resources to help parents/guardians talk to children about violence that are not printed here.
Hemet Unified School District is deeply saddened by the tragedy that took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. We share in the grief of the families who lost loved ones and the Uvalde community who has certainly been devastated by this tragic event.
This senseless act of violence and others in recent days reinforces our stance that the safety and well-being of our students and staff will always be the District’s highest priority. We remain committed to our safety protocols and procedures and diligent in evaluating their effectiveness on a regular basis. These procedures include:
• Locked-door policy for all classrooms on all campuses
• District-wide closed campus policy (all gates remain closed and locked)
• Ongoing random K-9 and metal detector searches for weapons and contraband
• Strong partnership with Riverside [County] Sheriff and Hemet Police Department through ongoing two-way communications, regular updates on community safety issues, and contractual agreements which place officers full time at many of our school sites
• Conduct regularly scheduled lockdown and shelter-in-place drills at every school site
• Regular monitoring of site surveillance cameras during and after school hours
• Vigilant campus security officers who provide monitoring and supervision support
• District level advanced security notification system for all sites (triggers an automatic lockdown in the event of an emergency and an immediate call to police)
We know that providing safe and welcoming school environments is instrumental to the success of students. We need the support of staff, students, families and the community to be the eyes and ears of the district. Please reach out to district administrators or contact the police directly should you see or hear any potential threats to school sites or students. This has proven to be a very effective method of prevention to help mitigate tragedies like these.
Lastly, we know that acts of violence like these can be deeply upsetting to students. They are hard to understand and can create a great deal of fear and anxiety.
Editor’s note: The resources included links to National School Association of Psychologists, NPR, Fred Rogers Institute, PBS, The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Child Mind Institute, American Counseling Association and Colorín Colorado (https://www.colorincolorado.org).
