Follow Up to Lewiston Shootings

 Good morning,

We understand this tragedy has an impact on our students, staff, and families.  Because it is difficult to predict how anyone will react to a traumatic event, the best we can do is to be supportive and responsive to our students and their varied responses.  Some students will have no or minimal reaction; some will be upset or anxious to some degree.  Some may not have even heard of the event and others will have been immersed in the coverage on TV. The safety of our students is always the top priority in our district. We take seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety of your child every day, we are prepared for a wide range of support.

For all those students who need support, we will have mental health support available throughout the district from counselors, social workers, and psychologists. Our school nurses will also be ready to assist as needed for health concerns that may arise.

If you would like for school staff to reach out directly to your family today by phone regarding the events and how best to support your child, please enter your name, your child's name, and the best phone number to reach you by completing THIS SURVEY. 

We are working diligently to plan for a safe and supportive return to school on Monday and will be in touch again. As always, please feel free to call if you have any concerns or questions regarding your child, or the steps being taken by our school to ensure their safety & wellbeing. We will be available through email today at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org and deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org and by phone when we return to school at 222-1050.

Kind regards,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne 

Great Falls Administrators

Letter from Admin in Response to Lewiston Shootings

 

October 26, 2023

Dear Great Falls Families, 

By now you have likely heard about the tragic shootings that occurred in Lewiston last night. There will be extensive coverage of this on the news and much discussion about it in our community in the coming days. We want to assure you that the safety of our students is our top priority and that our school has a comprehensive safety plan in place. We work with the Gorham police and fire departments to regularly practice our safety procedures with students and staff through discussions and emergency exercises. 

It is equally important for us to continue to work with our staff and ensure they are prepared to support our students in difficult times. We will have our counselors and administrators ready throughout the coming week to respond to students as needed. 

Family members:

• Reassure children that they are safe and make time to talk

• Let their questions be your guide as to how much information to provide

• Provide brief, simple information 

• Reassure them that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them

Observe your children’s emotional state. Some children may not express their concerns verbally. Limit television viewing of news coverage of the event and be aware if the television is on in common areas. Developmentally inappropriate information can cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children. And lastly, maintain a normal routine. Keeping to a regular schedule can be reassuring and promote physical health. Ensure that children get plenty of sleep, regular meals, and exercise. 

We are troubled by events like what occurred in Lewiston and will make sure that the safety of your children is our number one priority. Thank you for your compassion towards our school community as we work together to cope and support one another. You will receive a letter from our Social and Emotional Team later today with additional resources and options for student support. 

As always, please feel free to call if you have any concerns or questions regarding your child, or the steps being taken by our school to ensure their safety & wellbeing. We will be available through email today at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org and deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org and by phone when we return to school at 222-1050.

Kind regards,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne 

Great Falls Administrators

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Dear Great Falls Families,

Thank you for attending our family conferences! It was so wonderful to see so many families on campus. Also a big thanks to you for shopping at our book fair! We encourage families to be present on our campus all throughout the school year! If you are interested in volunteering at Great Falls, please complete this form to get your name on the approved volunteers list. 

Thursday, October 26th: Home/School Connection Meeting! Join the Great Falls Administrators and our School Social Worker for an informative presentation on how we resolve and address student conflict. Over the past couple of years at Great Falls, we have really strengthened our handling of conflict resolution - in and around the school, and on the bus!  We primarily use restorative practices when there is conflict between students or an incident occurs that violates the Code of Conduct.  Restorative practices focus on clear expectations, fair consequences, and restorative conversations. This process helps to build a positive school climate and healthy relationships between students and staff. We are working hard to keep our focus on positive connections, repairing harm, and restoring relationships! Join us for our first Home/School Connection (formerly Parent Connection) meeting to learn even more about this topic. We will be meeting from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Great Falls Cafeteria. 

Are you interested in helping to plan our school community events? Consider attending our November 30th and December 14th Home/School Connection meetings as we plan for our Winter Solstice Family Event. We will be developing a planning committee to make our event a memorable experience for our students and their families and could use your help. If interested in participating, please complete this quick survey so we can add you to our planning committee email list. 

Monday, October 30th: Picture Retake Day! 

Tuesday, November 7th: Voting Day and Staff In-Service Day - No School

Friday, November 10th: Veterans Day - No School

November 22nd-24th: Thanksgiving Break - No School

Friday, November 24th: Trimester 1 Grades Close

School Calendar: 2023 - 2024 Calendar

The most important information regarding our school community can also be found in the Great Falls News from the Office which will be emailed to families every Thursday. Our hope is to keep families updated with the latest information and school events. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at any time at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org or deanna.etienne@gorhamschools.org. 

Kindly,

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne

Great Falls Administrators