The following message is from Montessori Magnet School Principal John Powell:
Good afternoon Montessori families,
I am reaching out to share with you an update about the little girl who was injured Friday afternoon. As I am sure you will understand, being respectful of the family’s wishes is a primary concern. With that said, I am pleased to relay that over the weekend encouraging signs of progress have been shown. While this is wonderful news, there is still a ways to go.
The Student Support Team at Montessori and the City School District of Albany’s Pupil Personnel Services Department are collaborating on plans to support students, faculty and staff, and families as we return to school Monday.
Ahead of that time, I would like to offer resources that are aimed at helping you as you help your child:
- Talking to Children: When Scary Things Happen
- With a specific eye on supporting yourself, please consider this resource
I would like to give you a sense of what support will look like Monday. Our goal is to meet the needs of everyone in our school community.
In support of our students, our school social worker and psychologist will take the lead on visiting all classrooms. The visit will acknowledge the help provided by school staff, parents and first responders Friday afternoon. They will highlight that the best possible care is being provided and we are keeping in touch for updates.
Finally, they will offer a chance to talk further with any child in need. Please know that if your child does express or demonstrate a need to talk further, you will be contacted directly afterward with details of the conversation.
In support of parents and guardians, we will offer two drop-in sessions with our Student Support Team on Monday – from 8:10-9 a.m., and from 1:30-2 p.m. These sessions will be held in the library. During this time we will share resources for you and your child, offer information on how to give support to the family and provide updates on how our team is working in consideration of the emotional needs of our students.
I also want to let you know that crews began work Sunday morning to remove the trees in the area where this occurred. We expect that the trees will be down when we arrive for school Monday, and that work will continue throughout the day to clear the area. Please know that our playground will remain closed to accommodate these efforts until we return from Thanksgiving break.
In closing, I want to acknowledge the way that our amazingly supportive and generous community cares for each other. I have heard from a collection of folks who are ready to provide assistance. Being mindful of doing only as the family wants, there has not been a decision yet made on a preferred form of support. Just as soon as we have guidance from the family on their preference, I will convey this to our school community.
In the meantime, please check in on one another. This is a challenging moment for our children, but it is equally difficult for the grown-ups, especially those who were on-site Friday. Please pick up the phone and let someone else know that you are there for them in whatever way they need. That, and continuing to hope for continued positive news, is the absolute best thing to do at this time.
Be well Montessori,
Mr. Powell
