SANDY HOOK CENTER
  • HOME
    • THOUGHTS
  • About
    • John
    • WHY
  • PROGRAMS
    • THE GIVING PLEDGE
    • Henry-the-Affable-Monkey >
      • BUDDYUP >
        • Red-Hands.Org
    • Wins
    • We Are The World
    • Hallmark
  • Blog
    • Teaching Our Children
    • Please Sign
    • What's Going On
    • Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma >
      • Blog
  • Gallery
  • Contact




Preventing gun deaths in children.

21/6/2018

0 Comments

 

As practicing pediatricians who have lost patients to gun violence, we join our colleagues in mourning the 20 children and their teachers who were killed in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012. Our sadness is deepened by our knowledge that the deaths, terror, and post-traumatic stress of the relatives and friends left behind could have been prevented.
Picture
Prevention is the core of pediatric work. We aim to protect children from all things that can harm them. Injuries are the biggest threat to U.S. children over 1 year of age. In 2010, gun-related injuries accounted for 6570 deaths of children and young people (1 to 24 years of age). That includes 7 deaths per day among people 1 to 19 years of age. Gun injuries cause twice as many deaths as cancer, 5 times as many as heart disease, and 15 times as many as infections (see graph).1
How can we prevent gun injuries? We know the behaviors that place children and adolescents at high risk. Little children explore their worlds without understanding danger, and in one unsupervised moment, an encounter with a gun can end in fatality. School-age children often enter the worlds created by television shows, movies, and video games. Because of their developmental age, school-age children don't necessarily understand that people who are really shot may really die. A firearm in their hands can transform fantasy into tragedy. Even in our own lives, this risk has been manifest: to this day, one of us is haunted by the childhood memory of aiming a loaded rifle at a babysitter.
Teenagers get into fights over girlfriends or sneakers, get furious or scared. Alcohol and drugs may impair their judgment. A fistfight may cause transient injuries, but a gunfight can kill rivals, friends, or innocent bystanders. Depressed young people may attempt suicide. Less than 5% of such attempts involving drugs are lethal, but 90% of those involving guns are.2 Our niece might be alive today if she hadn't had easy access to a handgun at 18. Finally, permitting guns to reach the hands of severely deranged persons can have monstrous results. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recognizing all these vulnerabilities, declared in a policy statement on firearms in October 2012 that “the absence of guns from homes and communities is the most effective measure to prevent suicide, homicide, and unintentional injuries to children and adolescents.”2
In the early 1990s, there was a surge of violence and firearm-related deaths. The death rate was so high (nearly 28 of every 100,000 people 15 to 19 years of age)2 that pediatricians joined with other professionals (police officers, clergy, and educators) to find ways to combat the epidemic. Pediatricians began to address the protection of children from gun-related causes alongside the prevention of other types of injuries, poisonings, child abuse, lead toxicity, and infectious diseases.
Screening tools and basic interventions became routine practice through nationally accepted programs such as Connected Kids and Bright Futures. AAP guidelines recommend that when families report the presence of firearms in the house, pediatricians should counsel about gun removal and safety measures (gun locks and safe storage). One mother responded to routine screening questions asked by one of our colleagues, “Why, yes, I have a loaded gun in the drawer of my bedside table.” Until that moment, she had apparently never considered the risk to her child.
Although such screening and counseling are important in general, it is particularly important that children's health care providers have the opportunity (and time) to discuss the issue of guns with the families of children and young people who have developmental, behavioral, or mental health problems. In the United States, far too little attention is paid to the seriousness of our children's mental health problems. Families are often left unsupported as they try to protect their children who may be depressed, impulsive, or combative.
Since 1994, the AAP has conducted periodic member surveys to ascertain physicians' attitudes about gun safety and to see whether doctors are performing recommended screening and counseling. In both 2000 and 2008, approximately 70% of physicians reported that they “always or sometimes” asked whether there were guns in the home and recommended unloading and locking guns. In 2008, 50% of the doctors surveyed reported “always or sometimes recommending the removal of the guns from the house.”3 A recent AAP research analysis of these data show that doctors who live in states with high levels of gun ownership are just as likely as those in states with low levels to ask about guns in the home but are likely to counsel families about safe gun storage rather than removal.
In a randomized, controlled, cluster-design study by the Pediatric Research in Office Settings network, the intervention group that received specific gun-safety counseling from their doctors reported significantly higher rates of handgun removal or safe storage than did the control group. This study showed that families do follow through on pediatricians' recommendations about gun safety.4
Despite this evidence, in 2011, Florida passed legislation, the Firearms Owners' Privacy Act, making it illegal for a doctor to conduct preventive screening by asking families about guns in the home — essentially “gagging” health care providers. Under the aegis of the Second Amendment, the First Amendment rights and the Hippocratic responsibilities of physicians were challenged. In response, the AAP's Florida chapter brought suit, and in June 2012, Miami-based U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke issued a permanent injunction banning the state from enforcing the law. Governor Rick Scott has appealed the ruling, and similar bills have been introduced in three additional states.
At the federal level, problematic language was introduced into the Affordable Care Act. Section 2717(c) sets restrictions on the collection and aggregation of data on guns in the home. Furthermore, Congress has restricted the research activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by stipulating that no funds that are made available for injury prevention and control at the CDC “may be used to advocate or promote gun control.”5 Strictures like these often have a chilling effect on the gathering of important public health data.
The Newtown tragedy is galvanizing a national understanding of the pervasive threats that guns pose and the toll they take. The picture of wailing children leaving Sandy Hook Elementary School is seared into our collective consciousness like the image of the Kent State students or the smoking Twin Towers. The country's heart goes out to the families.
It is time to act for these families and for those who continue to lose children to gun violence. Newtown concentrated the horror in one place for one hour, but the same outrage occurs daily in U.S. cities, suburbs, and rural areas.
As a nation, we have it in our power to protect our children from gun injuries, as other countries have done. Doctors, teachers, city and state officials, gun owners, families, and young people must come together with a creative and meaningful commitment to improving our society.
We believe that, at a minimum, several specific measures should be taken. First, the ban on assault weapons should be reinstituted. Magazine and ammunition capacity and the tissue-destruction capability of ammunition should be limited. Rather than increasing the number of guns in public places, as was recently suggested by the National Rifle Association, we need to set a goal of reducing the number of guns in our homes and communities. This reduction can be accomplished through tighter consumer-safety regulations, as well as licensure and certification of gun owners. Federal restrictions on the collection of public health data about gun-related injuries should be reversed.5 Continued emphasis should be placed on limiting children's viewing of violent material on TV and through video games. Finally, we must dedicate more state and local funding to effective treatment of young people who are identified by parents, schools, and law-enforcement or mental health professionals as being at high risk for committing interpersonal violent acts.
If we take these steps, we will honor our children who have died needlessly. Our nation can prevent the loss of precious lives.
0 Comments

Now is the time: The President’s plan to protect our children and our communities by reducing gun violence

21/6/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
The Making of a True American Hero.

White House
The White House, 2013
The President’s plan is prefaced by a statement of his support for the second amendment’s guarantee of an individual’s right to bear arms and his belief that most gun owners are “responsible and “law-abiding.” The plan is four-pronged. First, close background-check loopholes, so as to keep dangerous people from purchasing guns. The intent is to require that all gun sales be accompanied by background checks, whether the sale is handled by a federally licensed firearms dealer or private sellers, who are currently exempt from this requirement. The plan details how to strengthen the background check system. Second, ban military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and take other common-sense steps to reduce gun violence. The intent of this measure is to reinstate and strengthen the ban on assault weapons, limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds, and get armor-piercing bullets off the streets. Third, make schools safer. This includes putting up to 1,000 more school resource officers and counselors in schools, ensuring that every school has a comprehensive emergency management plan, and creating a safer climate at schools. Fourth, increase access to mental health services. Objectives in implementing this recommendation are to ensure that students and young adults receive treatment for mental health issues and encourage insurance companies to cover mental health treatment.
0 Comments

TEACHING OUR CHILDREN

14/6/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Value #1: Honesty
HELP Kids Find a Way To Tell the Truth
The best way to encourage truthfulness in your child is to be a truthful person yourself. Consider this story: Carol decided to limit the number of playdates between her 3-year-old son, Chris, and his friend Paul. The boys had been fighting a lot recently, and Carol thought they should spend some time apart. So when Paul's mother called one afternoon to arrange a get-together, Carol told her that Chris was sick. 

Overhearing this, her son asked, "Am I sick, Mommy? What's wrong with me?" Carol, taken aback by her son's frightened look, told him she had only said he was sick, because she didn't want to hurt Paul's mother's feelings. Carol then launched into a complicated explanation of the distinctions between the various types of lies, and Chris was confused. All he understood was that fibbing is sometimes okay-and that, in fact, it's what people do. 

Your child takes his cues from you, so it's important that you try to avoid any kind of deception, even a seemingly innocuous one. (Never, for instance, say something like "Let's not tell Daddy we got candy this afternoon.") Let your child hear you being truthful with other adults. Carol would have been better off saying, "This isn't a good day for a playdate. I'm concerned that the boys were fighting so much last week. I think they need a break." 

Another way to promote the value of honesty: Don't overreact if your child lies to you. Instead, help her find a way to tell the truth. When the mother of 4-year-old Janice walked into the family room one afternoon, she saw that her large potted plant had been toppled and that several branches had been snapped off. She knew right away what had happened: Once before, she had seen Janice making her Barbie dolls "climb the trees," and she'd told her daughter at the time that the plants were off-limits. When Mom demanded an explanation, a guilty-looking Janice blamed the family dog. 

Janice's mom reacted sensibly: She interrupted her child's story and said, "Janice, I promise I won't yell. Think about it for a minute, and then tell me what really happened." After a moment, the child owned up to her misdeed. As a consequence, Janice had to help clean up the mess and was not allowed to watch television that afternoon, but her mom made sure to emphasize how much she appreciated her daughter's honesty. In doing so, she taught the child an important lesson: Even if being honest isn't always easy or comfortable, you-and other people-always feel better if you tell the truth. 




Value #2: Justice
Insist The Children Make Amends

At a recent family gathering, Amy and Marcus, 4-year-old cousins, were making castles out of wooden blocks. Suddenly, Amy knocked over Marcus's castle, and he started to cry. Witnessing the scene, Amy's father chided his daughter and ordered her to apologize. Amy dutifully said, "I'm sorry." 

Then her dad took her aside and asked, "Do you know why you pushed over his blocks?" She told him that she was mad because Marcus's castle was bigger than hers. The dad told her that though this was no excuse for destroying her cousin's castle, he could understand her feelings. He then sent her back to play. 

The father's reaction was similar to that of many psychologically savvy parents: He wanted his daughter to identify and express her feelings and to understand why she behaved as she did. That's okay, but it isn't enough. In order to help children internalize a true sense of justice, parents need to encourage them to take some action to remedy a wrong. For example, Amy's dad might have suggested that she help Marcus rebuild his castle or that she bring him some cookies as a gesture of apology. 

Saying "I'm sorry" is pretty easy for a child, and it lets her off the hook without forcing her to think. Having a child make amends in a proactive way conveys a much stronger message. If you're aware that your child has acted badly toward someone, help him think of a way to compensate. Maybe he can give one of his trucks to a playmate whose toy he has damaged. Perhaps he could draw a picture for his sister after teasing her all day. By encouraging your child to make such gestures, you emphasize the importance of treating people fairly-an essential value that will one day help him negotiate the complicated world of peer-group relationships. 




Value #3: Determination
ENCOURAGE Them To Take on a Challenge
Five-year-old Jake showed his mother a drawing that he'd made with his new crayons. "That's very bright and colorful," she told him. "Nice job!" The child then ran to his room and dashed off another drawing to bring to his mom for praise-then another and another. 

"Each one was sloppier than the last," his mother said. "I didn't know what to say." A good response might have been: "Well, Jake, that drawing isn't as carefully done as your other one. Did you try your best on that?" 

Determination is a value that you can encourage from a very young age. The easiest way to do so is by avoiding excessive praise and by providing children with honest feedback, delivered in a gentle, supportive fashion. 

Another powerful way to help kids develop determination is to encourage them to do things that don't come easily-and to praise them for their initiative.If your son is shy, for instance, quietly encourage him to approach kids on the playground, even if it makes him feel nervous and scared. If your daughter is quick to blow a fuse, teach her strategies (such as counting to ten or taking a deep breath) for holding back a temper tantrum. Congratulate kids when they manage to do things that are difficult for them. The child who hears "Good for you, I know that was really tough!" is bolstered by the recognition and becomes even more determined to keep trying. 




Value #4: Consideration
TEACH Them To Think about Others' Feelings
Anne was frustrated because her daughters, ages 3 and 4, ended up whining and fighting every time she took them grocery shopping. "I finally told them that we needed to figure out how to do our shopping without everyone, including me, feeling upset," Anne says. 

The mom asked the girls for suggestions on how to make the trip to the grocery store a better experience for all. The 4-year-old suggested that they bring snacks from home so they wouldn't nag for cookies. The 3-year-old said she would sing quietly to herself so she would feel happy. 

The girls remembered their promises, and the next trip to the supermarket went much more smoothly. Leaving the store, the younger girl asked, "Do you feel really upset now, Mommy?" The mother assured her that she felt just fine and remarked how nice it was that nobody got into an argument. 

Do these small problem-solving exercises actually help a child learn the value of consideration? You bet. Over time, even a young child sees that words or actions can make another person smile or feel better, and that when she's kind to someone else, that person is nice to her. This feedback encourages other genuine acts of consideration. 




Value #5: Love
Be Generous with Your Affection

Parents tend to think that children are naturally loving and generous with their affection. This is true, but for loving sentiments to last, they need to be reciprocated. It's chilling to realize that over the course of a typical busy day, the phrase "I love you" is probably the one that a child is least likely to hear. 

Let your child see you demonstrate your love and affection for the people in your life. Kiss and hug your spouse when the kids are around. Talk to your children about how much you love and appreciate their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

And, of course, don't let a day pass without expressing your affection for your child himself. Show your love in unexpected ways: Pack a note in his lunch box. Tape a heart to the bathroom mirror so he'll see it when he brushes his teeth. Give her a hug-for no reason. Don't allow frantic morning drop-offs or frenetic afternoon routines squeeze loving gestures out of your day. 

I can practically guarantee you that the more you say "I love you" to your child, the more your child will say "I love you" back. The more hugs and kisses you give, the more your home will be filled with love and affection. And when our children feel free to express their love to us, we instill in them perhaps the greatest value of all. 


0 Comments

TEACHING OUR CHILDREN

5/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
WHAT EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW BY AGE 5.
Value #1: HonestyHelp Kids Find a Way To Tell the Truth
The best way to encourage truthfulness in your child is to be a truthful person yourself. Consider this story: Carol decided to limit the number of playdates between her 3-year-old son, Chris, and his friend Paul. The boys had been fighting a lot recently, and Carol thought they should spend some time apart. So when Paul's mother called one afternoon to arrange a get-together, Carol told her that Chris was sick. 

Overhearing this, her son asked, "Am I sick, Mommy? What's wrong with me?" Carol, taken aback by her son's frightened look, told him she had only said he was sick, because she didn't want to hurt Paul's mother's feelings. Carol then launched into a complicated explanation of the distinctions between the various types of lies, and Chris was confused. All he understood was that fibbing is sometimes okay-and that, in fact, it's what people do. 

Your child takes his cues from you, so it's important that you try to avoid any kind of deception, even a seemingly innocuous one. (Never, for instance, say something like "Let's not tell Daddy we got candy this afternoon.") Let your child hear you being truthful with other adults. Carol would have been better off saying, "This isn't a good day for a playdate. I'm concerned that the boys were fighting so much last week. I think they need a break." 

Another way to promote the value of honesty: Don't overreact if your child lies to you. Instead, help her find a way to tell the truth. When the mother of 4-year-old Janice walked into the family room one afternoon, she saw that her large potted plant had been toppled and that several branches had been snapped off. She knew right away what had happened: Once before, she had seen Janice making her Barbie dolls "climb the trees," and she'd told her daughter at the time that the plants were off-limits. When Mom demanded an explanation, a guilty-looking Janice blamed the family dog. 

Janice's mom reacted sensibly: She interrupted her child's story and said, "Janice, I promise I won't yell. Think about it for a minute, and then tell me what really happened." After a moment, the child owned up to her misdeed. As a consequence, Janice had to help clean up the mess and was not allowed to watch television that afternoon, but her mom made sure to emphasize how much she appreciated her daughter's honesty. In doing so, she taught the child an important lesson: Even if being honest isn't always easy or comfortable, you-and other people-always feel better if you tell the truth. 


Value #2: JusticeInsist That Children Make Amends
At a recent family gathering, Amy and Marcus, 4-year-old cousins, were making castles out of wooden blocks. Suddenly, Amy knocked over Marcus's castle, and he started to cry. Witnessing the scene, Amy's father chided his daughter and ordered her to apologize. Amy dutifully said, "I'm sorry." 

Then her dad took her aside and asked, "Do you know why you pushed over his blocks?" She told him that she was mad because Marcus's castle was bigger than hers. The dad told her that though this was no excuse for destroying her cousin's castle, he could understand her feelings. He then sent her back to play. 

The father's reaction was similar to that of many psychologically savvy parents: He wanted his daughter to identify and express her feelings and to understand why she behaved as she did. That's okay, but it isn't enough. In order to help children internalize a true sense of justice, parents need to encourage them to take some action to remedy a wrong. For example, Amy's dad might have suggested that she help Marcus rebuild his castle or that she bring him some cookies as a gesture of apology. 

Saying "I'm sorry" is pretty easy for a child, and it lets her off the hook without forcing her to think. Having a child make amends in a proactive way conveys a much stronger message. If you're aware that your child has acted badly toward someone, help him think of a way to compensate. Maybe he can give one of his trucks to a playmate whose toy he has damaged. Perhaps he could draw a picture for his sister after teasing her all day. By encouraging your child to make such gestures, you emphasize the importance of treating people fairly-an essential value that will one day help him negotiate the complicated world of peer-group relationships. 


Value #3: DeterminationEncourage Them To Take on a Challenge
Five-year-old Jake showed his mother a drawing that he'd made with his new crayons. "That's very bright and colorful," she told him. "Nice job!" The child then ran to his room and dashed off another drawing to bring to his mom for praise-then another and another. 

"Each one was sloppier than the last," his mother said. "I didn't know what to say." A good response might have been: "Well, Jake, that drawing isn't as carefully done as your other one. Did you try your best on that?" 

Determination is a value that you can encourage from a very young age. The easiest way to do so is by avoiding excessive praise and by providing children with honest feedback, delivered in a gentle, supportive fashion. 

Another powerful way to help kids develop determination is to encourage them to do things that don't come easily-and to praise them for their initiative.If your son is shy, for instance, quietly encourage him to approach kids on the playground, even if it makes him feel nervous and scared. If your daughter is quick to blow a fuse, teach her strategies (such as counting to ten or taking a deep breath) for holding back a temper tantrum. Congratulate kids when they manage to do things that are difficult for them. The child who hears "Good for you, I know that was really tough!" is bolstered by the recognition and becomes even more determined to keep trying. 


Value #4: ConsiderationTeach Them To Think about Others' Feelings
Anne was frustrated because her daughters, ages 3 and 4, ended up whining and fighting every time she took them grocery shopping. "I finally told them that we needed to figure out how to do our shopping without everyone, including me, feeling upset," Anne says. 

The mom asked the girls for suggestions on how to make the trip to the grocery store a better experience for all. The 4-year-old suggested that they bring snacks from home so they wouldn't nag for cookies. The 3-year-old said she would sing quietly to herself so she would feel happy. 

The girls remembered their promises, and the next trip to the supermarket went much more smoothly. Leaving the store, the younger girl asked, "Do you feel really upset now, Mommy?" The mother assured her that she felt just fine and remarked how nice it was that nobody got into an argument. 

Do these small problem-solving exercises actually help a child learn the value of consideration? You bet. Over time, even a young child sees that words or actions can make another person smile or feel better, and that when she's kind to someone else, that person is nice to her. This feedback encourages other genuine acts of consideration. 


Value #5: LoveBe Generous with Your Affection
Parents tend to think that children are naturally loving and generous with their affection. This is true, but for loving sentiments to last, they need to be reciprocated. It's chilling to realize that over the course of a typical busy day, the phrase "I love you" is probably the one that a child is least likely to hear. 

Let your child see you demonstrate your love and affection for the people in your life. Kiss and hug your spouse when the kids are around. Talk to your children about how much you love and appreciate their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

And, of course, don't let a day pass without expressing your affection for your child himself. Show your love in unexpected ways: Pack a note in his lunch box. Tape a heart to the bathroom mirror so he'll see it when he brushes his teeth. Give her a hug-for no reason. Don't allow frantic morning drop-offs or frenetic afternoon routines squeeze loving gestures out of your day. 

I can practically guarantee you that the more you say "I love you" to your child, the more your child will say "I love you" back. The more hugs and kisses you give, the more your home will be filled with love and affection. And when our children feel free to express their love to us, we instill in them perhaps the greatest value of all. 


0 Comments

PTSD.   WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR PTSD?

1/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN THE DARK! 


If you have PTSD, it doesn’t mean you just have to live with it. In recent years, researchers from around the world have dramatically increased our understanding of what causes PTSD and how to treat it. Hundreds of thousands of Veterans have gotten treatment for PTSD—and treatment works.  

“In therapy I learned how to respond differently to the thoughts that used to get stuck in my head.” 

Two types of treatment have been shown to be effective for treating PTSD: 
  1. counseling and 
  2. medication.

Professional counseling can help you understand your thoughts and discover ways to cope with your feelings. Medications, called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are used to help you feel less worried or sad.

In just a few months, these treatments can produce positive and meaningful changes in symptoms and quality of life. They can help you understand and change how you think about your trauma—and change how you react to stressful memories.

You may need to work with your doctor or counselor and try different types of treatment before finding the one that’s best for dealing with your PTSD symptoms.


Picture
Picture

DISCLAIMER:


When taking any medications, make sure to seek solid, sound medical advice.  When taking such moodaltering drugs, individuals have been known to have life threatening reactions- including birth defects and thoughts of suicide.  
THE ANSWER, is having the right amount of support.  Having a place to go in crisis.  And learned behavior of how to many stress/anxiety.

http://www.cchrint.org/AntidepressantEffects‎

Life is a gift.  And sometimes we all need help.  
0 Comments

PTSD  What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

1/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
WHAT IS PTSD?
You feel on edge. You experience recurring nightmares. Sudden noises make you jump. You’re staying at home more and more... Could you have PTSD?

If you have experienced severe trauma or a life-threatening event, you may develop symptoms of posttraumatic stress, commonly known as posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD, shell shock, or combat stress. 

Maybe you felt like your life or the lives of others were in danger, or that you had no control over what was happening. You may have witnessed people being injured or dying, or you may have been physically harmed yourself.

What are the signs of PTSD?


A wide variety of symptoms may be signs you are experiencing PTSD:


  • Feeling upset by things that remind you of what happened
  • Having nightmares, vivid memories, or flashbacks of the event that make you feel like it’s happening all over again
  • Feeling emotionally cut off from others
  • Feeling numb or losing interest in things you used to care about
  • Becoming depressed
  • Thinking that you are always in danger
  • Feeling anxious, jittery, or irritated
  • Experiencing a sense of panic that something bad is about to happen
  • Having difficulty sleeping
  • Having trouble keeping your mind on one thing
  • Having a hard time relating to and getting along with your spouse, family, or friends
“When stress brought on flashbacks, I dealt with them by drinking them away. I considered it recreational drinking, but really I was self-medicating.”

It’s not just the symptoms of PTSD but also how you may react to them that can disrupt your life. You may:

  • Frequently avoid places or things that remind you of what happened
  • Consistent drinking or use of drugs to numb your feelings
  • Consider harming yourself or others
  • Start working all the time to occupy your mind
  • Pull away from other people and become isolated


0 Comments

Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation Looks for VolunteersPosted by Davis Dunavin (Editor) , September 24, 2013 at 11:03 PM

1/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
The foundation in charge of distributing the lion's share of post-Dec. 14 donations announced Tuesday it would seek volunteers from the Newtown community to help properly distribute its remaining $4 million in donations.

The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation, established by United Way and the Newtown Savings Bank after the shooting, has already paid $7.7 million out of its Sandy Hook School Support Fund to the 40 families most affected by the shooting.

"Distribution committee members must possess integrity, an ability to appreciate perspectives from a range of stakeholders, or affinity groups, while also displaying the ability to think broadly about others' needs," said spokesperson Patrick Kinney in a statement Tuesday. "Members must have ability and desire to address both short and long-term needs in the community that have and will continue to result from the tragedy of Dec. 14."

According to the foundation, the 8-12 members will either be Newtown residents or represent one of the following groups:

  • Families who lost a loved one in the Sandy Hook School shooting
  • Families whose children survived in the most directly affected classrooms
  • Families who have children in Sandy Hook Elementary School
  • Teachers or school staff
  • First Responders
  • Faith Community
  • Business Community
  • Mental health, finance, nonprofit, education or legal experience
To apply, residents are requested to submit the following information to info@nshcf.org by Oct. 4:
  • Name and contact information
  • Community stakeholder group or expertise
  • Brief statement on why you want to serve on the committee
  • Brief bio or resume
  • Three references
0 Comments

Sandy Hook School set, 1956

1/8/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Categories
  • Newtown Patch (1)

Recent Posts
  • 27 August 2013

Blog Archive
  • August 2013

  Subscribe to this blog 

0 Comments

Newtown 

29/7/2014

0 Comments

 
FRIDAY.  25 October 2013 ALL TRACES OF EVIL WILL BE FOREVER ELIMINATED 

Sandy Hook School Project's 'Phase One': The Next Steps

Sandy Hook School Elementary demolition is scheduled to start Friday, and Ellington-based asbestos removal company Bestech are still clearing hazardous materials from the site where a new school is planned to rise by 2016.

Meanwhile, architects from firm Svigals + Partners will meet with the Board of Education Nov. 6 as they continue spec work for the new school's design. Officials say the firm has requested an advisory committee be formed, including town officials. Board of Education head Debbie Leidlein has asked member Kathy Hamilton, John Vouros and Laura Roche to be part of the committee. Svigals + Partners will work through November and December to prepare schematics for the project.

"But to meet the timetable, schematics should be finished by end of January," Superintendent John Reed said at a Board of Education meeting last week. "That means they'll be into serious design in January. November is pretty fluid: kicking around concepts, mobile ideas, drawings ... Then, in December, they'll feel the pressure a bit more."

Officials said the firm were caught off guard because they didn't realize the schematics were due in January. But Reed said he didn't expect any delays in the project or complications stemming from the ramped-up timetable.

"They understand, as we all do, because of the nature of the gift it puts pressure on all of us," he said. "Certainly this project is going to receive more attention [than their previous projects.] If they do a wonderful job, I'm sure they'll be thrilled with the attention."

Demolition Begins Friday

Bestech will spend this weekend beginning demolition, working wing-by-wing as asbestos is removed from each section of the school, according to WTNH. First Selectman Pat Llodra told WTNHno materials from the old school building would leave the site.

"It might become part of the base for the new road or the foundation, or you know, the contractors will make the decision how best to use those materials," she said.

Llodra told Patch abatement, which began earlier this month, is necessary before demolition can begin.

"We have to get rid of the hazardous materials on the site before we can do anything else," she said.

Crews from Bestech and construction company Consigli & Sons drew attention when they were required to sign non-disclosure agreements, prohibiting them from publicly discussing the school grounds, taking photos or removing material from the site. At a Monday night Board of Selectmen meeting, Selectman Will Rodgers said the move was made to respect privacy and prevent photos from the site going viral on social media.

Demolition is expected to take at least two weeks, ideally completed before Thanksgiving, according to Public Building and Site Commission chair Robert Mitchell.

"Nothing is going to keep us from having the building down at an appropriate time," he said.




Llodra: 12/14 Anniversary Will Be 'Quiet, Personal and Respectful'
Posted by Davis Dunavin (Editor) , October 21, 2013 at 005:1 PM
All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.  


NO RUBBER NECKERS PLEASE!  


(BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO NEED HELP???)
Families ok?
First respomnders who've been out of work.
Trauma/PTSD??  
Posted by John M. Rinaldi (Editor of this site) , October 16, 2013 at 05:51 PM

WILL 30 ROCK STAND-IN?


First Selectman Pat Llodra says Newtown will host no official events of any kind on the first-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting according to her Newtown Blog.

FAMILIES, UPSET! 

The feeling among those most affected is that the recovery in Newtown is turning out to be more about the TOWN, AND NOT ABOUT THE WOUNDED FAMILIES still struggling! NO ONE wants a 3 ring circus, but there must be some level of respect and honor placed on the lives lost.  To simply do nothing is dishnorable, disingenuous, and just wrong. 

Posted by John M. Rinaldi (Editor of this site) , October 16, 2013 at 05:56 PM

"We ask now for patience and understanding as we approach the first anniversary of the shootings at Sandy Hook School," Llodra said. "Our community is choosing to remember and honor those who lost their lives in that awful tragedy in ways that are quiet, personal, and respectful — centered on the themes of kindness, love, and service to others. We are wishing fervently that those many persons who wish us well, and the media, will allow us this time to be alone and quiet with time for personal and communal reflection."

Llodra said houses of worship will provide their own religious services for congregants on the day, that schools will honor the event in appropriate ways and that other organizations — including Parks and Recreation, C.H. Booth Library, Edmond Town Hall and the Senior Center — may provide additional services.

Llodra suggests families, organizations and businesses spend the weeks prior to day "pledg[ing] an act of kindness to one another," using the anniversary as a chance for learning and growth.

"Maybe this tragedy can serve as a reminder for all families to set aside a few minutes to talk together about the importance of compassionate acts – that those acts become the glue that binds us together in our humanity," she said. "Maybe some small amount of time can be set aside in school classrooms for appropriate and meaningful discussions about kindness and service. It is not that these things don’t already occur from time to time, but just think about the power of so many thinking the same good thoughts and acting to benefit others at the same time. There is great power in a community supporting and believing the notion that each of us can and do make a difference and that it is our compassion and genuine caring for one another that connects us not just in Newtown but as citizens of this country."

Superintendent John Reed said the statement was reviewed by numerous town officials, community leaders and business leaders at a meeting Wednesday -- and, in part, the point is to ask out-of-towners to respect Newtown's privacy.

"In a nice way, we're trying to say, 'please leave us alone,'" he said.

Some media companies and advocacy groups have tried to rent space at Booth Library or Edmond Town Hall, Reed said at a Board of Education meeting Wednesday.

"The town is working, not to be rude, but not to be overly accommodating," said Reed. "Throughout Newtown is a green sign that says 'We choose love.' What does that really mean? One of the ways you choose love is by service to others. If you want to honor the people whose lives were cut so tragically short, you can best honor them by doing service to others."

Reed said this could be done not just on Dec. 14, (1214) but throughout the year.

"You can do this on a day-to-day basis," he said.

Reed added no tests will be given on the Thursday, Friday or Monday surrounding the anniversary, and no homework will be given over the weekend.

Voters Approve Sandy Hook Project
 In a landslide, voters approved a $50 million grant from the state of Connecticut at Newtown Middle School Saturday -- funds that will now go to pay for a new Sandy Hook Elementary School, to be built on the site of the old school at 12 Dickenson Drive.
Supporters cheered as the vote was announced at about 8:26 pm.

Advocates for the measure took to the street Saturday, stationing sign-bearers at the corner of Church Hill and Queen Street and in the center of Sandy Hook. Prior to the results, Legislative Council member Mary Ann Jacob credited a "Text 5" grassroots campaign with turning out voters.

"We asked people to text 5 friends to [remind them to vote]," she said. "Our challenge is always the same: get the yes votes out. And we like to see strong showings."

Now that the measure has been approved, officials say work can begin in earnest on the school. Prior to the vote, First Selectman Pat Llodra said the goal is to have the school open by September 2016, but construction firm Consigli Construction feels they might be able to get the school completed by January 2016.

More news on the way. Stay connected to Patch for updates.


In a landslide, voters approved a $50 million grant from the state of Connecticut at Newtown Middle School Saturday -- funds that will now go to pay for a new Sandy Hook Elementary School, to be built on the site of the old school at 12 Dickenson Drive.


Supporters cheered as the vote was announced at about 8:26 pm.

Advocates for the measure took to the street Saturday, stationing sign-bearers at the corner of Church Hill and Queen Street and in the center of Sandy Hook. Prior to the results, Legislative Council member Mary Ann Jacob credited a "Text 5" grassroots campaign with turning out voters.

"We asked people to text 5 friends to [remind them to vote]," she said. "Our challenge is always the same: get the yes votes out. And we like to see strong showings."

Now that the measure has been approved, officials say work can begin in earnest on the school. Prior to the vote, First Selectman Pat Llodra said the goal is to have the school open by September 2016, but construction firm Consigli Construction feels they might be able to get the school completed by January 2016.

More news on the way. Stay connected to Patch for updates.
Llodra: 'No Plan B' For Sandy Hook Project ReferendumOfficials say a failed Oct. 5 referendum would remove the $50 million in state bonds for Newtown from the table.

 Read the first part of Patch's interview with Pat Llodra and John Reed, published Tuesday.

First Selectman Pat Llodra and Superintendent John Reed both say they're confident residents will vote to accept nearly $50 million in state bonds at a townwide referendum Oct. 5 -- enough to destroy and rebuild Sandy Hook Elementary School.

In anticipation, they're answering questions from residents at a series of "informational meetings" (the next is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 30 at the Newtown Senior Center. On Thursday, the town also released its fifth Q&A about issues surrounding the vote. (See attached PDF.)

"The action of this referendum is different than any other we've ever had," Llodra says. "That causes some attention to be drawn to it."

She's hoping for a high turnout, while adding it's difficult to predict numbers or outcomes. But what happens if the referendum fails?

"I honestly don't know how the state would interpret it," she says. "I think they would be shocked and embarrassed -- I would be as well. And I worry about what message that would send to the state."

First all work would cease, Llodra says. And because the referendum specifically calls for the demolition and reconstruction of the school, the town couldn't accept the $49.25 million bond for any other alternative project. There is, she says, no "Plan B."

"It's not like they're writing us a check for $50 million," she said. In short, if the town does not accept the funds for this project, there may not be state funds available for any other project.

Renovating the school would cost almost as much as building a new school. And it couldn't be done without the state funds. In the words of the recent Q&A issued by the town:


"If the Town does not accept that action, then the State will not provide this gift to our community and other alternatives would have to be found for the entire elementary school population of Sandy Hook, some 450 students counting the district's pre-K program."

Some Work Already Underway

When residents in attendance voted to accept $750,000 in starter funds for the Sandy Hook School project, work began on a series of measures. These include removing oil tanks from the property, mapping wetlands and completing surveys -- work Llodra says "would have had to be done anyway." She says some money still remains from the initial $750,000 grant.


"We're only going to pay for work that has to be done," she says. "We don't want to get ahead of the community."

The town is also negotiating with homeowners to purchase property at 10 and 12 Riverside Road. This would create a new access road to a future Sandy Hook Elementary School, which Newtown's task force decided would be preferable for the project.

Earlier this month, building officials named their choices for teams to lead the design and construction of the school project. New Haven-based Svigals + Partners will serve as architects and engineers, and Consligi, a firm based in Milford, Mass., will oversee construction. Officials narrowed down the choices from a shortlist of nine firms over the summer.

"Any one of those firms would have done a wonderful job for us," Llodra says. "They're experienced, responsible, accomplished, with great tech, great vision. It could have gone in almost any direction."

A hazardous materials abatement plan is in place for the property, with abatement scheduled to start in October. Officials say they expect the school to be demolished sometime in November, assuming the referendum passes.

Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation Looks for VolunteersPosted by Davis Dunavin (Editor) , September 24, 2013 at 11:03 PM
211

The foundation in charge of distributing the lion's share of post-Dec. 14 donations announced Tuesday it would seek volunteers from the Newtown community to help properly distribute its remaining $4 million in donations.

The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation, established by United Way and the Newtown Savings Bank after the shooting, has already paid $7.7 million out of its Sandy Hook School Support Fund to the 40 families most affected by the shooting.

"Distribution committee members must possess integrity, an ability to appreciate perspectives from a range of stakeholders, or affinity groups, while also displaying the ability to think broadly about others' needs," said spokesperson Patrick Kinney in a statement Tuesday. "Members must have ability and desire to address both short and long-term needs in the community that have and will continue to result from the tragedy of Dec. 14."

According to the foundation, the 8-12 members will either be Newtown residents or represent one of the following groups:

  • Families who lost a loved one in the Sandy Hook School shooting
  • Families whose children survived in the most directly affected classrooms
  • Families who have children in Sandy Hook Elementary School
  • Teachers or school staff
  • First Responders
  • Faith Community
  • Business Community
  • Mental health, finance, nonprofit, education or legal experience
To apply, residents are requested to submit the following information to info@nshcf.org by Oct. 4:
  • Name and contact information
  • Community stakeholder group or expertise
  • Brief statement on why you want to serve on the committee
  • Brief bio or resume
  • Three references

Blog Archive
  • August 2013

 


Categories
  • Newtown Patch (1)

Recent Posts
  • 27 August 2013

Blog Archive
  • August 2013

  Subscribe to this blog 

 

0 Comments

Read the first part of Patch's interview with Pat Llodra and John Reed, published Tuesday.

2/10/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
First Selectman Pat Llodra and Superintendent John Reed both say they're confident residents will vote to accept nearly $50 million in state bonds at a townwide referendum Oct. 5 -- enough to destroy and rebuild Sandy Hook Elementary School.

In anticipation, they're answering questions from residents at a series of "informational meetings" (the next is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 30 at the Newtown Senior Center. On Thursday, the town also released its fifth Q&A about issues surrounding the vote. (See attached PDF.)

"The action of this referendum is different than any other we've ever had," Llodra says. "That causes some attention to be drawn to it."  She's hoping for a high turnout, while adding it's difficult to predict numbers or outcomes. But what happens if the referendum fails?  "I honestly don't know how the state would interpret it," she says. "I think they would be shocked and embarrassed -- I would be as well. And I worry about what message that would send to the state."

First all work would cease, Llodra says. And because the referendum specifically calls for the demolition and reconstruction of the school, the town couldn't accept the $49.25 million bond for any other alternative project. There is, she says, no "Plan B."

"It's not like they're writing us a check for $50 million," she said. In short, if the town does not accept the funds for this project, there may not be state funds available for any other project.

Renovating the school would cost almost as much as building a new school. And it couldn't be done without the state funds. In the words of the recent Q&A issued by the town:

"If the Town does not accept that action, then the State will not provide this gift to our community and other alternatives would have to be found for the entire elementary school population of Sandy Hook, some 450 students counting the district's pre-K program."

Some Work Already Underway
When residents in attendance voted to accept $750,000 in starter funds for the Sandy Hook School project, work began on a series of measures. These include removing oil tanks from the property, mapping wetlands and completing surveys -- work Llodra says "would have had to be done anyway." She says some money still remains from the initial $750,000 grant.

"We're only going to pay for work that has to be done," she says. "We don't want to get ahead of the community."

The town is also negotiating with homeowners to purchase property at 10 and 12 Riverside Road. This would create a new access road to a future Sandy Hook Elementary School, which Newtown's task force decided would be preferable for the project.

Earlier this month, building officials named their choices for teams to lead the design and construction of the school project. New Haven-based Svigals + Partners will serve as architects and engineers, and Consligi, a firm based in Milford, Mass., will oversee construction. Officials narrowed down the choices from a shortlist of nine firms over the summer.

"Any one of those firms would have done a wonderful job for us," Llodra says. "They're experienced, responsible, accomplished, with great tech, great vision. It could have gone in almost any direction."

A hazardous materials abatement plan is in place for the property, with abatement scheduled to start in October. Officials say they expect the school to be demolished sometime in November, assuming the referendum passes.

1 Comment
<<Previous
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2018
    June 2016
    August 2014
    July 2014
    October 2013
    December 2012

    John M. Rinaldi
    administrator

    "Where one man could fracture a world, another can help it heal".  

    Categories

    All
    Death By Firearms
    Depression
    Dublane
    Gun Politics
    Mass Murder
    O'Bama
    PTSD SYMPTOMS
    Sandy Hook Elementary
    Sandy Hook Promise
    School Massacres
    Scotland
    Trauma
    TREATMENT Of PTSD

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • HOME
    • THOUGHTS
  • About
    • John
    • WHY
  • PROGRAMS
    • THE GIVING PLEDGE
    • Henry-the-Affable-Monkey >
      • BUDDYUP >
        • Red-Hands.Org
    • Wins
    • We Are The World
    • Hallmark
  • Blog
    • Teaching Our Children
    • Please Sign
    • What's Going On
    • Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma >
      • Blog
  • Gallery
  • Contact