Dear Desert Sands Families,
Our country is mourning the tragic deaths of students and staff in the school shooting in Texas. We know that all of us have the families of the lost children and adults in our hearts and in our prayers. We also hold close to our hearts those still hospitalized as well as the parents and families of the Robb Elementary School community. There is no way to understand what would prompt someone to commit such a senseless act of violence.
As with every other school shooting, Columbine, Sandy Hook, and too many more, we at Desert Sands will continue to study what happened and work with law enforcement throughout the valley to review our best practices to reduce threats. We share the anxiety that follows events such as these and feel the fear that is rippling across our community.
Desert Sands takes a proactive approach to school safety. Our schools are required to perform emergency response drills such as lockout, lockdown, shelter-in-place, and evacuation. We have safety plans in place at each of our schools. We work closely with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office and Indio Police Department in evaluating threats and preparing responses. We encourage our students and parents to report suspicious behavior using our online anonymous 24-hour tip line (PSST World). Our staff members include counselors, school psychologists, and mental health therapists who are always available to work with students on issues such as bullying and trauma. Schools use positive behavior supports, interventions and progressive school discipline in order to create safer environments.
We continue to collaborate with local law enforcement and our own district security agents to provide increased patrols of our schools and presence on our school sites. This additional coverage will remain in place through the remainder of the school year.
The safety of our students and those who educate and care for them will always be our top priority. Please reach out through your school principals should your children or other family members need support or information.
The following resources are provided to assist you and your family in navigating this catastrophic event:
As we come together as a district family to mourn the loss of the children and adults of the Robb Elementary School community, please know that we are here to work together to keep our community safe.
Sincerely,
The DSUSD Communications Team
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