todaybit

April30,2019DearH-FSchoolCommunity:Wearereachingouttofollowupontheeventsthathaveoccurredoverthelastcoupleofdays.
Thepoordecisionsofasmallgroupofstudentshavecreatedenormousupheavalandhurtwithinourschoolandcommunity.
Theseactionshavetouchedeachofusdeeply,andwewillcontinuetoworktogetherinordertobegintheprocessofhealingasaschoolandcommunity.
Itisimportanttoprovideourstudentswiththeopportunitytosharewithustheirthoughts,ideasandquestions.
Aswemoveforwardthroughthisprocess,ourstudents'voicesandparticipationareacrucialcomponentinordertoensurethatthisexperiencemakesusstronger.
Wearealsointheprocessofdevelopinganopportunitytomeetwithourparentsandcommunity.
Toupdateyouonimmediatehappenings:Earlythismorning,weairedaspecialmessagetoourstudentsviaVTV—youcanwatchitatthiswebsite:https://bit.
ly/2V71SfUAroundnoontoday,approximately1,000studentschoosetoparticipateinawalkoutaroundcampus.
Wewouldliketoapplaudourstudentsandstaffmemberswhoparticipated.
Ourstudentswereamazingandconductedthemselvesinaverypeacefulandorderlymanner.
Tomorrow,wewillbemeetingwithallstudentsduringtheirEnglishclassesforaninteractiveconversation.
ThescheduleforWednesdayhasbeenadjustedtoa50-min.
perioddaytoaccommodatethis(ThursdaywillbeaBlock2day,andFridaywillbeaBlock3day).
Longerterm,ournewstrategicplan—developedbyourschoolcommunitylastfall—representsastartingpointthatincludesdiversityandculturalcompetencytrainingforallstaffmembersandstudents.
Ifweexpectexcellencefromourstudents,wemustensurethatweprovideourstudentsandfamilieswiththecrucialknowledgeaboutoursharedhistoryinordertocreateinformedcitizens.
Aswemoveforward,theseeventsdemandfromusabroaderopportunityofreflection,examinationandactionrelatedtoouracademicandsocial-emotionalcurriculumandourcorevaluesatH-F.
Pleaseknowthatweunderstandyourfrustrationthattheschooldistrictcannotlegallysharespecificinformationrelatedtostudentdiscipline,butdoknowthatthetypeofbehaviorthesestudentsdisplayedisnotcondonedbytheschool,andthatwearedoingeverythingpossibletoensurethatthesestudentsunderstandtheramificationsoftheiractionsandthatappropriateconsequencesarereceived.
Wearethankfultothemanyindividualswhohavereachedouttousandsharedtheirthoughts,feelingsandvolunteeredtheirsupportandservicestoassistourschoolcommunityaswebeginbuildingapathwayforward.
Thediversityofourcommunitiesrepresentsourgreateststrengthandwillbethecatalystthatbringsustogether.
Wearecommittedtoprovidinganenvironmentinwhichourstudentsfeelrespectedandsafe.
Ifyouhaveanyquestions,concernsorneedsupport,pleasecontactusat708-335-5500,vmansfield@hf233.
orgor708-335-5540,janderson@hf233.
org.
Pleasehavepatienceaswehavemanymessagesandphonecallsandweareworkingdiligentlytorespondtothemasexpeditiouslyaswecan.
Sincerely,Dr.
VonMansfield,SuperintendentandDr.
JerryLeeAnderson,Principal