Message to Gates Chili families from Superintendent Dailey
Dear Gates Chili Families,
Like you, our hearts are heavy each time there is a story in the news like the one this week about George Floyd. These acts of violence continue to create a massive rift in our society. Often, these disturbing acts are caused by fear, deeply-rooted biases and/or ignorance.
It is my top priority as superintendent to provide a safe, caring environment for learning for all Gates Chili students. As a district, much of our work this year has been around culturally-responsive practices and education. As such, our staff remain as committed as I am to disrupt systems of racism. We have come far, but there is more work to be done.
Our children are watching and learning. They are on social media and they are observing and absorbing the society in which they live. They look to us as trusted adults for how to respond during times of crisis. They must be provided the necessary support to deal with the emotions and at times, trauma, that may come from events like these.
We want each of them to know that their lives matter to us. We are here to listen, learn, and support. Even when we don’t know what to say and we don’t have the answers, we must invite our children to talk and ask questions to build awareness and understanding about the complexities of race, racism and equity.
Please encourage students to reach out to our mental health staff if they need support during this time.
Christopher J. Dailey
Superintendent of Schools