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PSS assures parents about students’ safety
The Public School System vows to carry the responsibility of keeping the best interests of students first as well as maintaining a safe and protected environment for the students while they are in schools.
Board of Education chair Marylou C. Ada said that they are very much aware of shooting events in the U.S. mainland and that they are keeping close watch.
“The recent shooting in Florida was truly heartbreaking and we are looking at how best we can avoid situations like that to keep our students safe. We have met with our crisis management team and we are looking for solutions and best scenarios to keep gun violence away from our schools,” she said.
“We recognize that just because those circumstances happen in the mainland, it doesn’t mean it cannot happen here. We are establishing preventive measures in place so that…we are ready,” she added.
Ada said that public schools are currently doing lockout and man-made violence drills but they plan to add some more.
“We are going to do a lot of drills and safety measures for the students to be accustomed to situations acted out in the drills so when that happens we are not confused, we will not be in a position wherein we don’t know what to do or who to call,” she said.
“Keeping children safe is our major concern and we are looking into that. In fact, this will be one of our agenda at the next board meeting,” she added.
According to Ada, the BOE is also aware of suicides lately plaguing the PSS community.
“This is a very personal issue and we respect the privacy of the families involved. Everybody knows it…we are feeling it. The students are feeling it and it is very sensitive and emotional, that’s why we’d rather keep it contained and honor requests,” she said.
“Our crisis management team, which consists of counselors, principals, and other professionals, are putting themselves out there to be available for students, whether on a one-on-one or group conversation to talk about problems and these conversations are aimed at having solutions,” she added.
