Today is Veterans Day. Please take a moment today to thank a Veteran for their service. Honoring the sacrifices many have made for our country in the name of freedom and democracy is the foundation of Veterans Day. Veterans Day was originally passed into law as a holiday to mark the end of World War I and bring awareness to soldiers who made it home safely but still made sacrifices for our country. Several of our schools planned special events and activities to honor school, local, or district veterans.
As you know, last month, the District implemented School Safety Week and focused on reviewing and practicing our safety and crisis procedures at all schools. This week both Urbana High School and Urbana Middle School reinforced the importance of why drill and practice are so critical. The Urbana Police and the FBI are still actively investigating outside threats made to UHS. UHS staff and students did a phenomenal job following our safety protocols. Both schools implemented their crisis procedures for soft lockdown and evacuation for most of the week. It is unfortunate that these actions were necessary; however, I am thankful for the care and attention that our staff gave to teaching and taking care of their students while following our safety measures. As always, the safety and security of our students and staff are of utmost importance, and we appreciate the support and cooperation of the Urbana community, our staff, students, and of course, the Urbana Police Department. While this week has caused anxiousness and concern in many, the ongoing presence and support from Urbana Police and other Champaign County first responders have been very appreciated.
Our schools are taking time to review their crisis procedures. I encourage you to take a moment to have a family conversation about school safety in the upcoming days. In the days and weeks to come, we will remain diligent and dedicated to keeping our school community safe.
In solidarity,
Dr. Ivory-Tatum
