Dear APS Community,
I am reaching out to you today with a heavy heart. Many of you likely saw the news yesterday that a student shot two other students at Evergreen High School in Jefferson County. We are heartbroken that gun violence has impacted schools in our state yet again and we are grieving with our fellow students, families and educators in Jeffco Public Schools.
As Superintendent and a father, I share in your anger and frustration. Please know that the safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. We regularly review our safety and security protocols to ensure that our buildings are secure. In addition, we conduct frequent safety drills to prepare students and staff for emergencies. Our Department of Safety and Security works closely with our School Resource Officers to keep our schools safe everyday.
We also ask for your continued vigilance and partnership in keeping our schools safe. Please encourage students to report any potential safety concerns or dangerous behavior to a trusted adult. Each and every one of us has a responsibility that if we see something, we must say something. You can always report concerns anonymously to www.safe2tell.org.
Any report of violence at a school is heartbreaking and we know that many of you and our students may be struggling. As we all process through our emotions, please know that Aurora Public Schools is here to support our community. As a reminder, we have counseling and mental health support available for our students and staff. If a student or staff member is struggling, please reach out and connect them to a mental health professional at school.
We also want to share the mental health resources listed below:
- For urgent counseling, call Colorado Crisis Services at 844-493-TALK (8255), or text “Talk” to 38255. This service is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
- One of our main partners, Aurora Mental Health and Recovery, operates centers throughout Aurora. Visit their website for details.
- All APS employees have free, 24-hour access to counseling and other services through our Employee Assistance Program. Please call 1-888-324-2631 or visit our EAP website. APS has also partnered with Meru Health, which offers support to all APS staff through a free and 100% confidential 12-week program accessible via smartphone. Click here for more information. Additional mental health resources for staff are available here.
As always, you can find more information about our mental health resources by visiting our Mental Health Resources website.
Please continue to wrap your arms around and lift up the Evergreen High School community over the coming days and weeks.
-Superintendent Michael Giles, Jr.