Resources for Families for Current Events and Media Coverage Impacts

Dear Oregon City School District Families,

During this time of violence in Gaza and Israel, and Ukraine and Russia we are reminded that we live in a very interconnected world.   Members of our community have connections to many nations and cultures and are being impacted.  This includes those who have family members in this region and those who have family members serving in armed forces.  Our hearts go out to all families suffering, worried or afraid at this time. It is important to recognize that the effects of such events can have lasting effects, particularly with our now unprecedented access to images and stories.

Our students are often caught in the midst of a variety of feelings about what they are hearing or seeing. We would like to reaffirm to our students, staff, families, and community that we prioritize physical and emotional safety in our school district. We also remind families to consider attending to the media and social media access of students kindergarten through 12th grade.  

We recognize it can be challenging to know how to support students and address questions they may have. The Oregon Department of Education has provided us with resources to share with our staff and families. You are welcome to consider if any of these tools would be helpful to you; they are listed below.

We can not know what the coming days or weeks will bring, but we do know that Oregon City is a strong supportive community that cares deeply. If you know of a student who is struggling, please reach out to school staff, counselors or administrators for assistance.  

Sincerely, 
Dr. Dayle Spitzer
Superintendent
OCSD62

RESOURCES

For All Ages:

• Oregon's Transformative Social and Emotional Learning Framework & Standards

• ODE Mental Health Guidance

• Learning for Justice: Let's Talk

• Helping Your Students Cope With a Violent World

• How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War: Common Sense Media gathers tips and conversation starters to help you talk to kids of different ages about the toughest topics.

• Talking to Your Kids About War: VeryWell Family explores ways families can speak with young people about war, including tips on sharing information and restricting media coverage.

For Elementary/Middle School Students:

• Learning for Justice: When Bad Things Are Happening: recommendations build on the Psychological First Aid (PFA) framework, developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security: “Listen, Protect, Connect—Model & Teach,” They also include suggestions from the American School Counselor Association and The Child Mind Institute.

• Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children: This article from the American Psychological Association can help adults guide their young children beyond fear and to resilience.

• Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children: The American Psychological Association provides tips and strategies for parents and teachers of middle school-aged children.

Trauma-Informed Resources for School Systems:

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides resources that can be filtered by topic or keyword and by audience with a focus on how adults can identify traumatic responses in young people and how to support them.