Almost a year after tragedy unfolded at Sandy Hook Elementary, prosecutors are planning to release the long-awaited summary report, and the Newtown school superintendent has sent a letter to parents to make sure they’re prepared.
Dated Nov. 19, the letter from interim superintendent Dr. John Reed encourages parents to keep a close eye on media coverage and monitor what their children are reading and watching. Parents are also urged to reach out to mental health professionals if children need help coping as the one-year anniversary approaches.
"We all understand that for the children who were directly affected by this tragedy the release of the report and the upcoming anniversary can carry a very personal meaning," the letter reads.
School officials from surrounding towns, including Brookfield, are expected to send similar letters in the coming days.
“We’re neighbors of Newtown and our hearts go out to them,” said Brookfield school Superintendent Anthony Bivona.
Bivona said the district has offered counseling and other support services to Newtown. He anticipates that parents, children and teachers in town will also have a tough time around the one-year mark.
“Some of our teachers live in Newtown; they’ve had students actually, in fact, go to school there,” Bivona said. “We have parents, families with relatives in Newtown, so it is very close to home.”
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The Newtown letter alerts parents to signs of distress in their children and offers tips on talking to kids about traumatic events.
