Ludlow Superintendent of Schools Todd Gazda said the schools will undergo safety drills in response to Connecticut shooting.
At least 150 people showed up for a candlelight vigil Saturday evening at Chicopee's Ray Ash Park to honor the 26 people killed in Friday's school shooting in Connecticut. Pictured here is Brennan Whalen, left, of Holyoke, and Cole Williams, of Chicopee.
LUDLOW- Many local school districts will revise safety policies and procedures in response to the tragic shootings on Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn..
Ludlow Superintendent of Schools Todd Gazda issues this statement on the school district website:
"We have all been shocked by the horrific events that took place at the Sandy Hook Elementary School yesterday. Our hearts go out to the many families touched by the tragedy in Newtown, CT and our deepest sympathies are with them.
The administration and School Committee want to assure you that we have precautions, procedures and systems in place to keep the children of Ludlow safe while they are in school. While no system is flawless, a continuous review of our procedures to insure they comply with the most up to date strategies for dealing with emergencies is essential for insuring the safety of our schools.
With that in mind the administrators of the district will be reviewing our policies and procedures with the input of police and fire to insure we have the most current strategies and tactics in place for maintaining a safe and secure school environment. We will conduct additional training for our staff and in the upcoming months run drills to insure that our students know how to handle themselves and are familiar with emergency procedures."
The website www.ludlowps.org also includes links for parents with tips about how to talk to their children about the shooting.
"As parents it can be difficult to speak with children about tragedies such as these... School counselors will be available Monday to speak with any children or parents who are having trouble processing the incident. It is important to emphasize that although there are dangerous people in the world, together we can work to make our schools and community a safer place. Nothing is more important than the safety of our students and we will take all the necessary precautions to insure the schools remain a secure environment to learn and grow. "