patching...
Update: Have you signed up for your Falls Church Patch newsletter yet? It's free and easy to sign up here! »
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Connecticut Shootings

Monday, December 17, 2012

FCPD: Expect Increased Police Presence Monday at Schools

Police say there is no threat, it's just for reassurance in wake of Connecticut shootings.

When children return to school this morning, families should expect to see an increased police presence, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. The move is a reaction to Friday's shootings at an elementary school in Connecticut, where a gunman killed 20 schoolchildren and six teachers, according to police. The gunman also killed his mother at her nearby home. The following was posted by FCPD on its Facebook page on Sunday: As children return to school tomorrow, you will see an increased police presence at and around schools in the county. We want the community to know this is being done as a reassurance for parents, teachers and students and NOT because there is any threat. It is a result of the shooting in Newtown, CT. For …

Sunday, December 16, 2012

How to Talk to Kids About Connecticut Shootings

Fairfax schools officials direct parents to resources, remind them to sign up for emergency notifications.

As news unfolded Friday from the scene of an elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn., Fairfax County Public Schools officials were directing parents to resources that would help them start conversations in their own homes. In a post on the schools' homepage Friday, officials posted links to the system's emergency resources and also offered some guidance on how to handle details of the scene at Sandy Hook Elementary School while talking with children. Parents of children of all ages should "try to watch television with your kids (especially during the news), listen for their questions, and answer them honestly," a PDF posted by the school system reads. It continues:  Tragedies affect everyone, both children and adults. Children need to…

Got a Hot Tip?