Dear supporters, In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts across the nation have closed and many will not reopen for the remainder of the academic year. During this difficult time, Stand with Parkland remains dedicated to ensuring students and staff have the resources they need to stay safe both in the classroom and online. Many children and teenagers are utilizing virtual learning programs and spending more time online these days. Parents should be familiar with the platforms and technologies their kids are using in school and be aware of how they communicate and play digitally. Stand with Parkland recommends Safer Schools Together's Parent's Guide to Raising Digitally Responsible Youth to all parents looking to learn more about online spaces. This month, Florida made the choice to continue with virtual learning for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. With school buildings now vacant, administrators should explore campus security updates ahead of the fall semester. Click “Get Started” on SchoolSafety.gov and use the “Safety Readiness Tool” to see what can be put into place in your community’s schools. Stand with Parkland - The National Association of Families for Safe Schools donated KN95 masks to the Parkland unit of the Broward County Sheriff's Office and to the Coral Springs Police Department. We were honored to have the opportunity to help the men and women who secure our local school campuses. This period of social distancing can be hard. Feelings of loneliness and anxiety may be exacerbated by the public health crisis we are all going through. Call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. If you are struggling, please reach out for help. The Columbia Protocol can also help in suicide prevention. We encourage everyone to learn about this valuable tool to increase your awareness of suicide risk and how you can help prevent it. Even though students and staff are not on campus, we are committed to advocating for practical public safety reforms that ensure every child’s right to attend school free of fear. If you are able, please consider a contribution to Stand with Parkland so we can continue this critical work ahead of the fall semester. Thank for you for your support. Please stay safe, and we’ll be in touch soon. -- Stand with Parkland
