Waterford Schools React to Newtown Shooting

Waterford’s superintendent of schools told Patch today that he is sending out a message to parents regarding the school shooting in Newtown this evening and sent Waterford police officers to all five schools today to review safety procedures.

The move follows today’s news that at least 26 people, including 18 children, were murdered at an elementary school in Newtown by a gunman, who later died himself. Belair said Waterford schools do have plans in-place in case a similar situation were to happen and the four new schools all have state-of-the-art security systems, and the high school will have it as well once the renovation is complete.

“Our buildings are safe,” Belair said.

Belair said he is sending a message via Direct Connect, which is a telephone service, this evening at 5:30 saying his heart goes out to the victims of the Newtown shooting. Also in the message, Belair will say that Waterford schools did not talk about the shootings today with students because all the information was not available, but is asking parents to have that conversation with their children this weekend.

He said counselors will be available at all five schools Monday morning if students need to talk to anybody about the tragedy. Belair said he visited that Newtown elementary school last spring for instructional rounds and was good friends with the Newtown superintendent, and was devastated by the news.

“This is horrific,” he said. "You just never know."