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An Invitation for Parents from Students
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Hello IVA families!
A group of IVA students are organizing a walk-out to show support for the victims of the Parkland School Shooting. It will take place on March 14 at 10:00 am and end at 10:17am. We are planning to have this time to honor the victims and participate in the national dialogue. Parents are welcome to come and observe our conversation. The walk-out will be held in the Rec Center.
If IVA students would like to participate, they will be asked to fill out a Google Form where they are required to agree to appropriate conduct during the event. The Google Form will be sent out by Friday, March 8th and due March 13th, by 5:00 pm.
We hope to see you any of you there who would like to participate!
IVA Students
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A Nationally Organized Event
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The following is a selection from an article in Time Magazine to provide context for the event and who is organizing it. Read the article here.
IVA's Role: Please note that IVA does not promote a political stance in any of these conversations but ensures the safe participation of students on-campus.
IVA's Safety Preparations: IVA staff have been trained in 2016 on safety protocols, intruder response training, and crisis response protocols and will be re-trained this year. In addition, IVA provides monthly drills and has already provided fire, earthquake, lockdown, and reverse lockdown drills.
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A School Sanctioned Forum
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A few IVA students have been meeting with the principal and teachers to consider how IVA students might lead in a student activity that is safe, educational, and intended to have students think well.
Through these planning meetings we've determined:
- School safety is the highest priority and therefore a school-sanctioned forum prepared by students with a clear agenda approved by administration ahead of time is required for the 17 minutes and will ensure that if students are participating they are doing so in a safe and appropriate manner. This is a forum for student voice on campus, not a political demonstration.
- It is important for students to realize who is their audience.
- It is important to prepare for and consider how potential student misbehavior (so very possible in middle school) would detract from the message.
- The school will be in contact with local law enforcement as necessary for student safety.
- The student organizers are requiring other students to sign an agreement they created that states: "I agree to participate respectfully and will stay with the students, returning to class after the event. I understand that I will face truancy charges if I take advantage of the situation, or go beyond appointed boundaries. I agree to act respectfully to honor the lives lost and the message."
- This is a student-organized event and the school is ensuring all safety measures.
- No student is required to walkout and IVA will provide staffing inside classes and at the student forum in the Rec Center.
- Any student that does not attend will continue class activities with their teachers until the end of their Block 1 classes.
- Block 1 class ends at 10:14am. Office hours is from 10:18-10:38. By participating in this event students will miss 14 minutes of class but will not be punished by teachers for the lost time.
- Signs will not be necessary because as students are planning it - this is a time of memorial and learning not of debate or platform for a political statement.
- Students want to be careful to not "preach to the choir" so are using this time to ask "What can we do to create change?"
Student Organizations Include:
- An invitation to parents to join the walkout (see above)
- A student created Google Form RSVP that includes an agreement to participate respectfully.
- Announcements by students at the Virtue Ceremony
- Meeting next Monday to plan the agenda for 17 minutes
- Walk-out focus and discussion in the student-led Social Justice club that meets at lunch on Tuesday
As a parent, how can I support?
- Come join us in the Rec Center at 10:00am. We would love to have parent presence at this quick 17 minute event as you are able.
- Please talk to your student about whether they will be joining the event and why.
Our faculty and staff view student-initiated forums that are school sanctioned as an opportunity for thinking well and carefully. Technically, this is not a walkout as students are not leaving campus and remain supervised throughout the school sanctioned event. We hope that this forum becomes a clear opportunity outside of teacher-led class time for students to initiate and enact our school's very real and very meaningful mission and vision.
Parents - as you have any questions or concerns please contact the office.
Sincerely,
Principal Bryant
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