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Superintendent's
Corner
October 3, 2006
Dear Students, Staff and Families:
The national news and recent incidents of school violence can be
unnerving. The incident in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is especially
upsetting. We think of the more rural areas of our country as safe
and secure. The it can never happen here mindset is surely tested
in times like this. The media images are particularly unsettling. I
often wonder if such vivid coverage creates copycat behavior among
those people who are prone to violence.
Tragedies such as these require reassurance from adults. Children
need to understand that while anything may be possible, including
unexpected violence, these are rare events. I am not sure the news
media does our children any great service by playing and replaying
these events. As parents, we need to control some of their exposure
to media coverage like this and help them to understand that while
random acts of violence can happen, it is the exception not the
rule.
In the meantime, Duanesburg and other school districts in New York
State must avoid becoming prison-like institutions while taking all
reasonable precautions to protect students from senseless acts of
violence. The SAVE legislation brought with it a wide range of
procedures that we now follow.
Our school resource officer (an idea that 10 or 20 years ago would
likely have been frowned upon in small districts like Duanesburg) is
well received by the public and our students and staff. Trooper
Johnstone is a visible presence in both schools and will point out
ideas or suggestions that may make us safer.
DCS is as safe a small school district as you are likely to find
anywhere. You can be assured that our district takes issues of
school safety seriously.
Sincerely,
Mark Villanti, Ed.D.
Superintendent of
Schools
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