Dear District 21 Families,
Our thoughts and prayers are with those at home and abroad who have been impacted by the war in Israel and Gaza. The disturbing reports and images of horrific acts of terrorism, violence, hostage taking, and senseless loss of innocent life is heartbreaking and we mourn the suffering of all those impacted. Many of our staff, students, and families are personally impacted not only by the events of the last 6 days in the Middle East but by the ongoing war in Ukraine and other areas of conflict around the world. We stand in support and solidarity with all of them.
It is our mission and responsibility to ensure that our schools remain safe spaces for all students and staff, regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity. Our strength as a school community comes from the richness and diversity of our students, families, and staff and we are at our core a caring and resilient community.
As a community we provide strength and comfort to all those in distress and support our children as they work to make sense of their world in scary and uncertain times.
We are aware of recent social media driven reports of potential violence against Jewish communities in the United States. District 21 is in close and ongoing contact with our local law enforcement partners and while there are no specific or credible threats we remain vigilant and will continue to work to ensure the safety and well being of our students and staff.
At such a scary and confusing time, here are some tools you may find useful as you engage with your children to help them form some understanding of the serious and complex events unfolding around the world.
As always, our entire staff are here to help support your child if they are feeling anxious or in any way affected by these situations. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s school office if you or your child need support during this difficult time.
Respectfully,
Dr. Michael Connolly
Superintendent
CCSD21
EMPOWERING EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY
