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School District No. 35
 

Supporting Our Community

letter-to-parents-supporting-our-community-2026feb11-1.3e450e19511.jpgDear Parents/Guardians and Students:

The Langley School District is devastated and expresses its condolences to all the families and friends who have lost loved ones after Tuesday’s tragedy in Tumbler Ridge. We cannot fathom how those impacted may be feeling nor can we make sense of what has happened. We also send our love and gratitude to all the first responders, school and district staff, and other community members who have helped and continue to support in this response.

As a provincial school district partner, we stand by our education colleagues, students, and families at Tumbler Ridge Secondary and surrounding area schools. We join the rest of Canadians, sharing in the collective sadness and grief. Our thoughts are with the Tumbler Ridge community at this challenging time.

We know that this news is far reaching. We recognize that we live in a society that is well connected and there may be some students, families, and staff who may be directly or indirectly impacted. We acknowledge that there may be some individuals who have no connections but may have a strong emotional reaction to what has happened. We understand that as more information is made available in the news and social media in the coming days, that some may be affected in different ways. We want to assure everyone that we are committed to supporting our school community.

The health, safety, and wellbeing of our students and staff are a priority. Our schools strive to be caring, supportive communities where everyone feels safe, secure, and a sense of belonging. During times of crisis, we want everyone to know that children are surrounded by adults who are ready to listen, comfort, and support them. If students need to talk or share how they are feeling, staff will be there with compassion and understanding. As always, school counsellors are available.

Below are counselling and mental health resources in the community:

The District is continuing to work with Safer Schools Together. See below for additional resources to help your child.

Limit Exposure to News Stories on Traditional and Social Media Channels

Consider how you access news and how that may impact children nearby. Young children may not know how to make sense of the news they are seeing and can quickly become overwhelmed. Encourage older children to rely on reputable news sources, and where possible limit their consumption and exposure to upsetting coverage.

It is important to have conversations, and model with your own behaviours, the additional traumatic impact for victims and families when upsetting images are re-circulated. We are respectfully suggesting that individuals do not watch, repost or share videos of the tragedy.

Acknowledge Feelings

Our children and youth will look to us for cues on how to process this upsetting information. Acknowledging our own feelings gives children a model for how to express and process their strong emotions. It is normal to experience a range of emotions in response to such unsettling news. It is important to note that the intensity of these feelings is going to be impacted by a family’s personal connections to the event, their history of loss and trauma, and degree of exposure to the traumatic stimuli on social media.

Listen More Than You Speak

Listen to your child’s concerns before offering any explanations. Give them an opportunity to voice their fears and ask age-appropriate open-ended questions. Ask what they may have heard and what that information means to them. You may uncover misconceptions and unfounded fears that need correcting. These questions will also help you understand if your child is coming from a place of curiosity, concern or fear, and will help you gain a sense of what your child may need from adults to feel safe and supported.

Some of the questions you can ask include the following:

  • Tell me what you have heard about this?
  • Where did you first hear about this?
  • How are you feeling?
  • What questions do you have?

Provide Facts

Tell the truth but do it gently. Give your child facts as long as it is consistent with their stage of development – keep conversations age appropriate. Children need to know their concerns and questions are being taken seriously by the adults around them and that they can trust their adults to be truthful with them. If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t be afraid to say so.

Importance of Routine

Maintaining daily routines can provide a sense of stability and security for children and adults. It can also be important to give children permission to continue to find and celebrate hope in their daily world.

Encourage Empathy and Compassion

Remind your child there may be others in their daily lives who may be impacted by this tragedy. Talk with your child about how we need to treat others with extra compassion and empathy during times like these. Tragedies and times of sadness and grief can serve as meaningful moments to teach compassion, which can help children feel empowered as they find additional ways to be kind and caring.

As school district staff, we recognize that our students may require additional support. We will continue to prioritize the mental health and well-being of our students. To support your child, be mindful of any changes in your child’s typical behavioural norms. If you feel your child needs additional support, please reach out to your teacher, school counsellor, or administrator, and/or access the community supports identified in the resources below. 

Resources

Please continue to love, care, and support each other as we all work together to heal as a community.

Sincerely,

Mal Gill
Superintendent of Schools

Resources