Sioux Falls counselors spent last school day helping students process shooting in Texas

The superintendent of South Dakota's largest school district said her district will continue working to do everything possible to prevent future tragedies after a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas resulted in 19 children and two teachers dead on Tuesday.

Sioux Falls school counselors were available Wednesday to help students and staff process the sad news from Texas, Superintendent Jane Stavem said, even though Wednesday was the last day of school.

Stavem said the district is heartbroken for the community of Uvalde after an 18-year-old carried out the act of violence in classrooms and hallways of the elementary school.

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“This senseless tragedy rocks our community and country to the core, and our hearts are with all who are hurting,” Stavem said. “The children and the adults who enter our schools, and any schools, deserve to learn and grow in a positive and safe environment.”

Sioux Falls schools' safety protocols may see refinement, improvement

More than a decade ago, the Sioux Falls School District committed to increasing safety protocols that are in place today, and district officials will continually build on those protocols to refine and improve practices, Stavem said.

It's unclear at this point what concrete steps district officials could be considering to build on protocols and improve practices.

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Details about district’s Safe & Secure Schools Program, which can be found online, includes training for staff members, a partnership with the Sioux Falls Police Department and counseling services. Additional counseling resources were posted online Wednesday, such as talking points to help children after school violence, Stavem said.

Staff works to be diligent in following protocols to prevent dangerous situations and promote safe practices, Stavem added.

“Unfortunately, the events that continue to unfold in many places serve as stark reminders that even with vigilance and our best efforts, evil is present and bad things can happen,” Stavem said. “That is the harsh reality that continues to play out in many settings, including schools.”

Reporting concerns, helping our children connect to positive activities, supporting programs that give children a place to belong, and accessing supports available that promote physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing will all help prevent future tragedies, Stavem said.

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SDEA calls on political leaders to 'end the madness'

The South Dakota Education Association also called on leaders Wednesday at all levels of government to do something to “end the madness” after the mass shooting in Uvalde, stating on Twitter that students’ lives depend on it.

“No words or statements will bring back the children and teachers of Uvalde,” SDEA said. “As educators, we are heartbroken by this tragic news, but we are no longer shocked by such events. We grieve for the victims’ families and the community in which they lived.”

Active shooter drills shouldn’t have to be part of students’ educational experience, but it’s the reality, SDEA said on Twitter.

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“Unfortunately, educators have stopped asking the question, ‘When will this end and now ask where will this happen next? Will it be my school, my classroom, or my students?’” SDEA said on Twitter. “Our students should not have to live in fear.”

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: How Sioux Falls Schools reacted to the Texas school shooting in Uvalde