Dear Parents,

Today, almost one year to the date of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, we learned of another school shooting at a high school in Littleton, Colorado. It is hard for us to imagine how these tragedies could ever occur again. It fills our hearts with sadness and sympathy for another community affected by senseless violence.

Today’s events serve as an important reminder of how critical it is for parents to talk with their children about appropriate and productive ways of dealing with conflict. Remind your children to share with you or another trusted adult any problems they may be experiencing with another student or with a staff member. We will listen. We want to help.

We also ask parents to review the School Emergency Guide that was mailed to every family this fall. This brochure details important information about what we have done to keep students and staff members safe, as well as what parents should do in the event we experience an event of this nature.

Please know Orono Schools is committed to safe learning environments. This responsibility is an important partnership shared by our families and staff, as well as national, state and local safety officials.  We appreciate your continued support.

Sincerely,

Dr. Karen Orcutt
Superintendent of Schools