Dr. Suzanne Scallion
Our students and staff have started their holiday break after a week coping with the fallout and aftermath of the tragic losses in Newtown. It was extremely difficult to manage the emotional fallout of the threats that popped up in Westfield and many other communities. Threats are intended to create fear and I cannot fathom how anyone could prey on the hearts and minds of parents and students who are reeling from the impact of Sandy Hook. Rumors take on a life of their own so I appreciate the focus on the facts. I wish we could report that we caught the offender or that there was a confession or acknowledgement of the harm that was done.
Westfield is fortunate to have a great team who worked hard behind the scenes during this challenging time. Police Chief John Camerota and his staff were simply fantastic and their visible and hidden presence was very reassuring. Thank you to all of the police team for your professionalism and caring. Mayor Dan Knapik was constantly monitoring the situation as was School Committee Vice-Chair Kevin Sullivan.
Parents, you were fantastic. Thank you for your calls to share the information you were hearing and for your deep caring of your children and all of the students in Westfield. Please continue to let us know when you hear things that cause you concern.
Thank you to our staff for their steady guidance and courage over the past week. While you were managing your grief over the loss of the children and staff at Sandy Hook, you were focused and caring for the students in front of you. As always, thanks for your professionalism. You deserve a winter’s rest…
Schools celebrated the holidays with a variety of concerts during the week. The high school performances were a testimony to the district music programs. I was able to enjoy the Westfield High School Choirs under the direction of Mrs. Korey DeGray Bruno. Put it on your list of things to do next winter along with the High School Band Concert conducted by Mr. Patrick Kennedy.
Like the rest of the country, we will continue to explore all possible ways to ensure safety in our schools in the days ahead and will keep your informed. Sadly, the violence in our society is a ‘perfect storm’ of many factors and we will need to deal with each one of those. We need to address the violence in the media including games, movies and shows experienced by our students. We aredeeply concerned about the desensitizing effect and the blurring between reality and fantasy.
We wish for our students the magic of the holidays and the privilege of childhood. Let’s renew our commitment to work as the ‘village’ that every child needs for happiness and success. Let’s use that WE in WEstfield for a bright future for our children.
All the best,
Dr. Suzanne Scallion, Superintendent
