Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Area schoools help students cope

Each person deals with tragedy in their own way.

In the aftermath of the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington, D.C., area schools are each working with students to help them try to understand what happened and deal with it.

Flags at the schools are flying half mast in honor of those who lost their lives in the attack.

Each school, though, is taking a different tack at how students have been informed and in helping them deal with it.

The methods range from counselors being brought in, to business as usual, or as much as is possible under the circumstances.

According to Dr. Gene Ross, superintendent of the Emmet School District, the teachers are doing their best to answer questions the students may have about the attack.

The students, he said, are concerned and worried.

After the news was released Tuesday, he said, one of the students stood and began reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Soon, others in the class rose and recited the pledge with her.

Dr. Ross, father to Congressman Mike Ross, (D-4), said his son called from Washington to let them know he was all right after the plane crashed into the Pentagon.

The congressman said once the Pentagon was hit, security measures went into effect and all federal buildings were evacuated.

Rick McAfee, superintendent of the Nevada School District, said they are flying the flags at half mast, but trying to operate the same as usual.

"We paused and had a moment of silent reflection for the lives lost," McAfee said.

The administration addressed the students as to what happened, but some of the children on the elementary side are having problems understanding, he said.

"The students are coping, but they don't have the full realization of what happened. I don't know if they understand the full ramifications of what we've entered into," he said.

The Nevada District, McAfee said, is fortunate to have eight teachers on staff who are also licensed counselors.

He added, the district has time set aside each week for student activities. The time will be used, this week, to discuss what happened and what it means.

In addition, the district has heightened its security, with cameras monitoring the entrance. "We're watching who comes on campus more closely," he said.

The Prescott School District, according to Superintendent Ron Wright, set up priorities for each age level of the students.

Tuesday after the incident, Wright said, there was a call from McRae Middle School because of student and teacher concern.

Several staff members, he said, have family members in New York and Washington and were worried about them.

A meeting was called to make decisions on how to deal with the situation, with Chad Brandon, the pastor of Central Baptist Church, and Jim Linderman, pastor at First United Methodist Church, on hand to help.

Wright said the administration decided to determine what should be done at each campus separately.

All agreed it would be best to keep the students at Prescott Elementary in the dark, and just go along as if nothing had changed.

"We want it to be as normal as possible for the children," Wright said.

The administrators met with fifth and sixth grade students at MMS, giving them an update on what happened, and how it relates to other events in the nation's history.

"I told them this would be a day they would remember where they were when they heard the news for the rest of their lives," he said.

Linderman led the students in prayer for those who died and the families of the victims. Brandon prayed for the nation's leaders.

The students, Wright said, were told to talk to their parents or other trusted adults about the incident.

At Prescott High School, the administration let the teachers handle the situation and tell the students what happened.

It was to be discussed in class, where it could also be used as a learning experience, he said.

The district's crisis plan states when an incident occurs to disrupt the students, to bring in ministers to help with the counseling and provide solace.

"The idea is to provide a sense of safety and security for the students," Wright said, "and make it a calm, normal day."

Ministers will be called in to do counseling work as needed, he said. "It's a comfort for me to know we have the support of people willing to come and counsel students in times of crisis."