District 196 Responds to Newtown School Shooting

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Editor's note: The following is a letter sent Tuesday to Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public School District 196 parents, students and families, from Superintendent Jane K. Berenz addressing the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, last Friday. Visit our sister Patch in Newtown for local coverage of the tragedy.

Our schools are safe places and our students and staff are prepared.

What happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut last Friday was a cowardly act of unspeakable evil. While deeply saddened by the loss of life, we can also be inspired by the courageous actions of the adults who risked and gave their lives for the children in their care. 

We hope never to face a situation of violence at a school, but rest assured all students and school employees have been instructed how to respond to different types of emergencies and regularly practice those plans. State law requires public schools to conduct at least five lockdown drills per year. In addition, each of our schools has an emergency planning team that works closely with police to regularly review and update the school’s emergency response plans.

Thankfully, our schools remain among the safest places for children because of the caring people who work in them and others in the community who watch over them. Please know that safety is our top priority in District 196.