Handle with Care Program at West Aurora School District
Being exposed to violence and trauma can impact students in a variety of ways. From decreased performance in school and school activities to emotional and physical symptoms, students who have experienced a traumatic event may need to be "handled with care." That is, they may need to be met with understanding and patience, and have resources provided to them if needed.
When it comes to understanding and addressing the effects of trauma, West Aurora School District 129 has adopted a Handle with Care Program, which informs appropriate school officials when a student has experienced trauma. In order to let school administration know when a traumatic event has occurred, West Aurora 129 has established a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between themselves, Aurora Police Department, North Aurora Police Department, Kane County Sheriff's Department, Fox Valley Park District Police Department, and the Aurora University Campus Police Department. If one of these departments responds to the scene of a traumatic event where a West Aurora student is present, they send an email to a predetermined address within the school district with the message, "Handle 'name, age, school' with care." The message is then forwarded on to the appropriate individuals at the school.
To view the Handle with Care 129 informational slides, click
here. To view the Handle with Care 129 MOU, click
here.