Please click here for a message from Superintendent Heckt.

A Message from Superintendent Heckt

The Bolton schools and community extend our deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers to the victims, their parents and families, administration, faculty, staff and the entire Newtown community. At this time of unspeakable grief and sorrow, the Bolton school community holds the students, administration, teachers and staff of Sandy Hook Elementary School close to our hearts.

Below please find information on how to talk to our children about this unimaginable tragedy.

What Can We Say to Our Children in the Aftermath of a Tragedy?

Some general advice from experts includes:

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  • Assume that most of them have heard or will soon hear something about the tragedy. Be ready to listen carefully and correct any misinformation they may have.
  • Reassure your children that you will help to keep them safe. You may need to say this repeatedly.
  • Try to stay calm yourself. When you are calm, it gives children a greater sense of security. Express your own feelings with a calm demeanor and in a way that is appropriate for the age of your child.
  • Turn off the TV. Younger children should probably not watch the news and the replaying of the traumatic event. Older children should watch with an adult.
  • Listen and let them ask questions. You don’t need to have answers. Allow them to talk about what happened and express feelings about it.
  • The age of your child may affect his or her response.
    • Adolescents may be harder hit by this type of news. Obtaining counseling sooner rather than later may reduce long term effects. Spend time with them.
    • Younger children may need you to spend more time with them playing, giving them time and attention.
    • Keep regular schedules for eating, activities and sleeping. Routines help to restore a sense of security and normalcy.
    • Consider how you and your child might help. We all are better able to regain our sense of power and security if we feel we can help in some way.

Some helpful websites:

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/aftermath.aspx

http://www.childmind.org/

http://www.schoolcrisisresponse.com/practicalsuggestions.pdf

With deep sadness,

Kristin B. Heckt, Superintendent

Kristin B. Heckt,  Superintendent of Schools

It is a great honor to welcome you to the Bolton Public Schools, an award winning school district committed to excellence in education.  We celebrate and honor our long history of success that is fostered by the strong relationships that have been established between the Board of Education, administration, faculty, parents, and the community.  Our outstanding team of administrators and faculty in the Bolton Public Schools is committed to engaging in collaborative work with families to continuously improve our efforts focusing on challenging and supporting our students. 

The Bolton 2020 Vision outlines the core values, beliefs, and student outcomes of the district.  We believe that, through the Bolton Public Schools students evolve as:

 Collaborative, active participants in their education

• Models of respect, compassion, integrity, and discipline
• Protectors of their environment
• Investors in their community
• Innovators in their workplace and beyond
• Explorers of creative solutions
• Leaders in an interdependent society

 This focus on the continuous improvement of student learning creates a rich and diverse learning environment at all levels of our educational organization filled with innovation, collaboration, and excellence.  As a result, our students master rigorous grade level standards while developing core thinking and learning competencies and engaging in powerful, real-world learning experiences necessary for success in college, careers, and as global citizens.  Our students develop essential knowledge and learning skills in all disciplines necessary to become ethical citizens who are innovative and influential leaders in their world through:

 Effective Oral and Written Communication:

Students effectively articulate thoughts and ideas, communicate with purpose and express ideas clearly and effectively to communicate within and across cultures, and synthesize a variety of sources using oral, written, and presentation skills.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving:

Students develop meaningful questions to guide inquiry, create, refine, analyze, and evaluate original and innovative ideas, and apply abstract knowledge to solve problems and execute solutions.

 Collaboration:

Students participate effectively and respectfully in productive teams that represent diverse perspectives, assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, value the individual contributions made by each team member, and seek opportunities to collaborate with others in personal, work, and community contexts.

 Leadership and Innovation:

Students inspire others by demonstrating integrity and ethical behavior with the interest of the larger community in mind, demonstrate leadership skills by taking the initiative to solve problems or by seeking better solutions and reflecting on the successes and mistakes that comprise leadership and innovation.

 Accessing and Analyzing Information:

Students access, analyze, process, and evaluate rapidly changing sources of information, media and technology in order to discern new challenges and opportunities.

We are proud of the many achievements of our students in academics, the arts, and athletics and encourage our students to discover their individual talents and interests through participation in our extracurricular offerings and community service experiences.  Our schools foster an environment focused on respect, responsibility and compassion for others to maximize academic engagement and achievement for all students.

Kristin B. Heckt, Superintendent of Schools