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SCHOOL SAFETY AT SAINT MARY’S

Katie Botha • March 30, 2023

This week, the Office of Catholic Schools issued a letter to all families following Monday’s tragedy in Nashville.

As School Safety continues to dominate the headlines, we are providing the following information to remind members of the Saint Mary’s community about the leadership structures and processes that exist to keep our students and parish members as safe as possible.

We are committed to the constant review and improvement of our School Safety and Crisis Management Plan. Anyone wishing to share feedback or support is encouraged to contact Amanda Esparza.

SMCS Crisis Management Team [Updated October 2023]

Amanda Esparza, Principal
Robyn Dahl, Assistant Principal
Lisa Flint, Administrative Assistant to the Principal
Anne Leigh Bisese, Admissions Director
Katie Botha, Communications Coordinator
Carli Simpson, School Nurse
Kelly Jones, School Nurse & Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer (Greater Richmond)
Anna Borrelli, School Counselor
Beth Murray, Instructional Resource Teacher
Dawn Slagle, Instructional Resource Teacher

Partnerships, Professional Training & Safety Drills

Our School and Parish are blessed with a strong relationship with members of the Henrico Police Department and the University of Richmond Campus Police who have participated in the audit and design of current School Safety Plans and ongoing Professional Training sessions for faculty and staff members.

School Safety drills are conducted on a regular basis in accordance with diocesan and state requirements. Teachers are provided with resources and required to lead age-appropriate classroom conversations about safety drills and expectations. Families have also been provided with optional discussion resources (in English and Spanish ) and are notified when Safety Drills are conducted on campus.

This evening, we are conducting a Self-Defense Workshop for students in Grades 4-8 and will continue to develop safety themed community programming in accordance with demand and resources.

*ABOVE:* Major Johnson from UR Campus Police and members of his department conducted an active shooter training in late February of this year. This was required training for all members of SMCS Faculty and Staff.

ABOVE: Sergeant Renee Walcott, Officer David Johnson and Major Allen Johnson from the University of Richmond Campus Police Department lead Saint Mary’s students in a self-defense workshop. This simulation showed the importance of walking with cell phones in our pockets and heads held high scanning the environment so that we can be safe and alert at all times.

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Election Day Resources & Reminders

By Katie Botha • October 31, 2024

Faithful Citizenship Resources In anticipation of Election Day on November 5, the Virginia Catholic Conference has prepared voter education resources to help Catholics confidently vote with an informed conscience. Those resources can be found on the Catholic Diocese of Richmond's website . School Day Reminders This year, Election Day is a regular school day with a regular bell schedule at Saint Mary's Catholic School. In prior years, it has coincided with Parent-Teacher Conferences resulting in a day-off for students; however, that is not the case this school year. Many of our students across all grade levels are aware of the importance of Election Day. We anticipate the days leading up to Election Day and those following it will provide topics of conversation that students may choose to engage in both inside and outside the classroom. If necessary, our teachers may offer age-appropriate explanations of the day's events and results. As family members, we encourage you to guide your children as they navigate their thoughts and feelings over the coming weeks and months.