January 23, 2023

Dear Norwalk-La Mirada Community,

Our hearts and thoughts are with the Monterey Park and Asian-American communities as they mourn the victims of the tragedy this past weekend. We send our deepest condolences to the families and community and wish for the best in recovery for all who are affected.

Events such as these have unfortunately become prevalent around the nation and can affect our children in many ways. To help cope with the questions your children may have about this tragedy, we would like to share the resources below for all to utilize as you need. NLMUSD has mental health and wellness resources at every school site as well as a dedicated webpage that can be accessed below.

Norwalk-La Mirada Mental Health & Wellness Homepage

Resources for Schools and Families: 

• A Checklist for School Personnel to Evaluate and Implement the Mental Health Component of Your School Crisis and Emergency Plan 
• Helping Youth After Community Trauma: Tips for Educators  
• School Violence Prevention: Guidelines for Administrators and Crisis Teams 
•  Talking to Children about the Shooting (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)  
• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (National Association of School Psychologists)  
•  Coping in the Aftermath of a Shooting (American Counseling Association)  
• Trauma and Disaster Mental Health (American Counseling Association) 
• Managing your distress in the aftermath of a shooting (American Psychological Association) 
• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (Resources in multiple languages) 

Safety continues to be a priority in our District. As always please be vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Thank you for your continued partnership to ensure our schools are a safe place to learn and work.

Sincerely,

John M. Lopez, Ed.D.
Superintendent