Superintendent Harrison sent the following message to ER9 families today in response to the violent protests at the U.S. Capitol:
Dear ER9 families,
Like many of you, I watched yesterday’s events at the U.S. Capitol in disbelief and my heart sank as this historic moment unfolded. I was frozen in bewilderment at the image of a confederate flag being waved in our nation’s most hallowed halls and the stark contrast to the principles that are foundational to our country. As adults, we are left to provide comfort within the chaos to our children.
These events are a reminder that our democracy is fragile. The events of yesterday are difficult to conceptualize, and thus we can only imagine the impact that this event has on the fragility of our youth. As educators, we hope to prepare our students to lead responsibly as we entrust them to create a more just and democratic future. In fact, one of ER9’s enduring goals and aspirations speaks directly to this hope:
Building a Caring Community: Each member of our community will contribute to our dynamic and enriching environment by promoting healthy relationships with others and sharing unique talents for the advancement of all.
Last night, I asked our teachers to help students navigate the events in responsible, developmentally appropriate ways as our young people process and unpack what’s happening around them. Over the coming days, our district leadership team is committed to curating age-appropriate resources from academics, social and emotional learning, and student support services to help the staff guide our children and young people in the days ahead. My wife and I found this National Geographic article to be especially helpful as we talked with our eight-year-old son.
During these times of uncertainty, I am buoyed by the hope and promise that we see in our students, the partnerships we’ve developed with families, and encouraged by the opportunities we have, as educators, to positively impact the world one student at a time. Please let me know if there are any specific ways I can offer additional support to you and/or to your child.
Best,
Rydell Harrison, Ed. D
Superintendent of Schools
Easton-Redding-Region 9 School Districts
654 Morehouse Road
Easton, Connecticut 06612
Phone: (203) 261-2513
Email: rharrison@er9.org
Twitter: @RydellEdLeader
