School Views: Moving forward together
It’s been two weeks since the senseless tragedy that occurred at Secnd Street Park in Gypsum. The days since have been filled with grief, astonishment, fear and contemplation.
As we continue to navigate the stages of grief with sensitivity and support, I’d like to share what Eagle County School District and our partners are doing to promote a more safe, peaceful and caring community.
In March, the district hired Tad Degen as the first director of safety and security. As a retired school resource officer, Degen knows our students, staff and schools. He possesses a talent for building relationships, and the experience to know where our safety measures are effective and where they can improve.
In his new role, Degen is responsible for $5 million worth of facility upgrades focused on improving the security posture at every school, ensuring reliable emergency communications, tightening emergency response protocols, and aligning district and law enforcement emergency response plans. In only three months, he has done a tremendous amount of work to improve school safety.
Safe and secure schools are not just the product of protocols and infrastructure. Safety is also a feeling that grows from school culture. Eagle County School District schools all implement social/emotional curriculum so students can learn about conflict resolution, healthy relationships, and the value of and strategies for physical and emotional health. Youth Equity Stewardship is a program that teaches students to build a community based on respect and kindness and helps them develop the skills to have difficult conversations and build strong relationships.
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Another aspect of school culture that needs to be addressed is cell phone use. I’ve raised this concern in emails directly to parents, and want the community to know that Eagle County School District is developing a district-wide cell phone policy for next school year. Current research indicates addiction to smartphones as a major contributing factor to youth depression, isolation and anxiety. Some states are pushing for complete cell phone bans in schools, but we would rather pursue a policy that teaches appropriate use and when to put them away.
We are fortunate to have several community partners that help support our students and staff. Our partnership with Your Hope Center has placed 17 certified therapists in our schools, which supplement the social/emotional services provided by school counselors and school psychologists.
That partnership is aided by Eagle Valley Behavioral Health and the vast network of resources Vail Health brings to our valley. The recent documentary “Paradise Paradox” highlights the mental health challenges that are associated with living in a resort community, but it also shows that our valley is doing much more to support mental health than many similar communities. We have a lot to be proud of in the progress we’ve made to destigmatize mental health and provide a more comprehensive network of support.
Next week, Mountain Youth and YouthPower365 will host a community conversation about youth violence prevention. This event is not a direct product of the violent incident that occurred two weeks ago, but it is timely and relevant. I, along with other district and school leaders, plan to attend and see how we can add our time and energy toward reducing violence.
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Our community and our schools will learn from the tragic event that occurred two weeks ago. We will embrace the families directly involved and offer continued support and love. Please keep those families in your hearts and help keep Eagle County the caring community we have grown to appreciate.
I encourage you to be strong, Eagle County. Talk to our kids. Help us to educate them as to the value and fragility of life. On Wednesday of last week, I was able to attend our Youth Equity Stewardship’s ListenUP! event and was grateful to be reminded that student voice and relationship building are vital in the future we are striving for. Even the smallest amount of kindness can go a long way, so let’s all remind ourselves of that and move forward together.
Philip Qualman is the superintendent of Eagle County School District. Email him at philip.qualman@eagleschools.net.
