Talking to Students about Violence: Tips for Parents and School Staff

Dear River Hill High School Families and Community,

With recent news events involving violence in schools, we want to take a moment to remind each of you how very appreciative we are of the loving care and guidance you give your children each day to help them feel heard, valued, nurtured and safe.  At River Hill High School, we also value our students and pay very close attention to their emotional well-being in addition to their academic and social development.

As you discuss recent tragic topics with your children, we wanted to provide you with some resources from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) that you may find helpful. Attached to this message, please find the following documents which have age-specific guidance for parents:  

Talking To Children About Violence

Here are some quick reminders from NASP:

1. Reassure youth that they are safe.
2. Make time to talk.
3. Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate.
4. Review safety procedures for communicating with you in the event of an emergency.
5. Observe an adolescent's emotional state.
6. Be aware of your teen's television (and social media) viewing of these events.
7. Maintain a normal routine.

As always, if you have any specific concerns, please don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher, guidance counselor or any member of the administrative team.