North Texas schools offer counseling, increase police presence after mass shooting

North Texas educators want to assure families that the safety and well-being of students is their top priority after a gunman killed 21 people — including at least 19 children — at a Uvalde elementary school Tuesday.

The attack at Robb Elementary School, with roughly 600 students, marks the deadliest school shooting in Texas history.

“It’s a horrific tragedy,” wrote Richardson ISD interim Superintendent Tabitha Branum in a districtwide email Tuesday night. “Our young people who become aware of this tragedy can very understandably become upset and want to talk with someone as they process this news.”

Officials at Fort Worth ISD became reluctant experts on how to help students following traumatic events after the Wedgwood Baptist Church shooting in 1999. A gunman went into a youth rally and killed seven people before shooting himself.

The aftermath was chaotic, said Kathryn Everest, FWISD’s director of counseling services. Hundreds of children impacted by the church shooting needed help processing what happened.

“Most school districts are not prepared for that kind of event or tragedy,” she said, recalling the days after the shooting took place

Everest recognized then that schools were in serious need of trauma response training and developing a plan for grievous events that impact the entire community. Since then, Everest and her team have helped other districts in Texas and across the country as they’ve encountered traumatic incidents.

District officials need to focus on day-to-day steps they can take to make students feel safe, to foster confidence in seeking help, and to identify staff who students can contact if they feel alone or in danger, she said.

Additionally, identifying students who may be suicidal can be a crucial step to preventing tragedies, noted Cynthia Bethany, FWISD’s director of prevention and crisis response.

“Research shows that a school shooter, generally, was suicidal first,” Bethany said, adding that getting a person who may feel helpless connected to resources could potentially save dozens of lives.

Many officials across North Texas encouraged students and families to report concerning activity or extreme behavior through districts’ anonymous reporting apps, to school counselors or other professionals.

School administrators also reminded families about mental health services available to students and staff for support. Richardson, for example, made counselors available at every campus on Wednesday to speak with students or employees who needed help processing the tragedy.

Educators also recommended parents limit their children’s exposure to news coverage about the shooting to prevent their anxiety from escalating. They suggested openly discussing what happened with their children “as they are developmentally able to handle” while listening to their concerns. It’s also essential to address parents’ own stress, they added.

“The effects of such an occurrence can be felt right here at home,” Plano officials wrote in an email, adding that the students’ emotional welfare is prioritized as much as physical safety.

Families should also stick to their normal routines, including attending school, as predictability can give children security, school leaders suggested.

School officials also informed parents of stepped-up security measures in place this week. Multiple districts — including Dallas, Plano, Richardson and Keller — are increasing police presence throughout the schools to reassure students, staff and families.

Most campuses have a unique safety plan that is reviewed annually, and staff runs through drills throughout the year to prepare for different scenarios, officials noted. Administrators work closely with area police to investigate potential threats to student and staff safety, they added.

Many schools have officers on campus regularly. In Arlington, for example, the district has at least one police officer and security guard at each high school and junior high school. Each elementary school has a secured entrance to prevent unauthorized people from entering the campus.

Plano officials stressed in their letter to families that the district has a number of protocols in place to ensure its campuses’ safety, including training and practicing emergency response with faculty, staff and students.

Arlington schools Superintendent Marcelo Cavazos stressed in a districtwide email that educators are constantly working to make schools safer.

“Preparing for emergencies is a job that will never be finished,” Cavazos said. “It’s a partnership with our entire community.”