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Newtown School Shooting

Friday, December 21, 2012

Security Protocols Under Review for Shrewsbury Schools

Superintendent Joseph Sawyer is working with emergency responders to make sure district children are safe.

According to a recent article in the Boston Globe, schools that had previously had an "open door" policy quickly became locked facilities requiring visitors get buzzed in following the Connecticut shooting tragedy. Boston expanded its security at schools, as did towns such as Natick, Winchester and Medford. Shrewsbury Public Schools Superintendent Joseph Sawyer has decided now is the time to review the schools’ safety plans here as well. “We have redoubled our efforts related to existing safety and security protocols, and we have increased the levels of supervision of visitors to our schools,” Sawyer said in a release. Sawyer is worked with Shrewsbury Police Chief James Hester to create a committee to review the current safety plans and …

AnnMarie R. Harvie

6:41 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Any security beef up would be welcomed. The assailant in CT shot through a glass door or window to get in, right? Perhaps some bullet-proof glass at those entrances would help. It would be too expensive to do all the school windows, I think. Buzzers with a monitor to see who wants to come in and a little bullet proof glass might go along way. I know we're strapped for cash. Perhaps Obama will …   more ›

Friday, December 14, 2012

Talking To Your Kids About Newtown Tragedy

PBS has strategies for talking and listening to your children about the news.

In the wake of the Newtown, CT shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Shrewsbury parents may find their children hearing about the tragedy or seeing it on the news and find themselves in a difficult discussion. For parents seeking guidance on how to address the tragedy with their own children, if it comes up, PBS has an article with flexible suggestions for answering kids' questions about the news. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also has a 24-hour hotline dedicated to providing disaster crisis counseling at 1-800-985-5990 or by texting "TalkWithUs" to 66746. The hotline is open to U.S. residents who are experiencing psychological distress as a result of a natural or man-made disasters, incidents …

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