February 15, 2018

Dear Moreland Families,

We are heartbroken to learn of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida yesterday.  Our thoughts are with all the families and friends of the victims and their entire school community.  While we hope that nothing of this nature ever happens in our schools or community, we wanted to share with you that Moreland schools continuously prepare for emergency situations.

All seven Moreland schools work directly with the San Jose Police Department and a Safety Consultant on lock-down drills. From preschool - 8th grade, every school and extended care program in the last two months have completed these simulated emergency exercises with the San Jose Police on campus and will continue to prepare our students and staff for any natural or man-made emergency. A highlight of our lock-down drill at Anderson Elementary School was shown on the NBC Bay Area news in January. You can view the segment here.

In the beginning of the school year, schools passed out an emergency brochure for parents. For your convenience, this brochure with a cut-out emergency card and an explanation of how Moreland prepares your children, can be found here.

These horrific situations are so difficult to understand, let alone explain to students. Below are a few resources to provide some support:

Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers

Five tips to help children cope with a national tragedy