Prepared for what?

I don't often write about something that is outside of my own little world, but what happened last Friday in Newtown, Connecticut is something that affects all of our worlds.  And will.  Forever.

No words can express the absolute tragedy that occurred.  I won't even try.  This horrific event reminded me of how precious life is, and how something that we never thought could or would happen, can and did.

On Saturday, the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Michigan sent an email message to all affiliated with the school in an attempt to allow a community of educators to come together and to take action.  Further, the website (www.soe.umich.edu) reads:

The School of Education community is shocked and saddened by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14. We send our deepest sympathies to the families of those who were killed, and to all those who witnessed and experienced this terrible and senseless event. In memory of the children and adults who died, we are committed to work against violence, to become more knowledgeable about mental illness, to increase our sensitivity to threats to the safety of others, and to develop ways to support survivors of tragedy.
--Dean Deborah Loewenberg Ball

This is a reminder to me, that as an educator, I have a responsibility to be prepared and knowledgeable about issues that I could never imagine.  I'm thankful during this time that I am part of a community ready to acknowledge this and face the possibility that this - what happened in Newtown - is the reality of not only that town, but for parents, families, and educators everywhere.