May 25, 2022
Dear Lemon Grove Families:
Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas is physically far away from Lemon Grove, California. But the pain and tragedy of another senseless school shooting hits very close to home. After listening throughout the past evening and into this morning about the innocent victims, the beautiful children who were taken too soon, we must all be feeling the pain of this tragedy and wondering “what if this happened to my child?”.
While we know schools remain among the safest places for students, we also know that the shooting in Uvalde, Texas may understandably cause heightened emotions and concern about safety issues.
You can't educate students without them being safe; it's a responsibility that all our Lemon Grove School District school leaders and employees take very seriously. Every San Diego County school has a safety plan and procedures in place that contribute to maintaining a safe learning environment for our students. Our schools are reviewing the established procedures for an “armed assault on campus”. In addition to reviewing those plans with our staff, we continue to implement best practices in maintaining the safety and security of our schools.
In addition, at every school site we have staff available to meet with any students expressing fear or anxiety about the shooting and what it might mean for them. Every school has a full-time social worker and either part- or full-time school psychologist on staff. Please do not hesitate to contact your school front office to request support.
Sincerely,
Erica Balakian
Superintendent