School Chief Carvalho Offers Support To Newtown Schools

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami-Dade Superintendent of Schools Alberto Carvalho reached out to Newtown Public Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson in the wake of Friday's school shooting tragedy Friday.

Carvalho offered the support of Miami-Dade County Public Schools' (M-DCPS) District Crisis Management Team to Robinson's district. The team is comprised of highly-trained school psychologists, counselors and social workers, to help students and staff work through the difficult times ahead.

"It was with great sadness and shock that I received the news of Friday's tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School," Carvalho wrote to Superintendent Robinson. "Educators here in South Florida and across the world know that this terrible incident will have far-reaching impact on your community for many years to come.  Our prayers will be with you and your community now and in the months ahead."

M-DCPS has the capacity to deploy a team of counseling professionals who can provide on-site support and training in dealing with trauma in schools immediately following disaster, as well as assistance in the creation of ongoing support groups.

Superintendent Carvalho also directed personnel to provide comprehensive support to M-DCPS students and staff.

M-DCPS Curriculum and Instruction and Crisis Management have prepared resources that will welcome all teachers Monday morning to help ease this painful issue for students.

A briefing sent to all schools will inform school administrators, counseling professionals, and teachers of the available resources to assist students in coping with school violence and national tragedies.

Violent school incidents or national tragedies often receive excessive media coverage that causes children confusion and emotional upset.  Parents and school personnel are often called upon to help children cope with the aftermath of these tragedies. The District Crisis Management Team works with school administrators and Critical Incident Response Teams to provide student intervention services following tragedies.

Flags will be at half-mast at all schools Monday, and students will observe a moment of silence in remembrance of the lives lost on Friday.