Let me add that no one has replied to this email as of today.
Dr. Dain,
While I may not have a living child at Shawnee Mission South, I am part of the community and I grew up in the Shawnee Mission school district. I have very strong connections within the community who are also wanting to make a change and they are just wanting to help. We have an opportunity to really make a difference not only in south but in other schools. I don't expect change overnight but I also struggle with students and parents reaching out to me telling me that they feel like their voices are not being heard and that they're being silenced. I know that you have received emails to include teachers. Since Tuesday I have been contacted by twice as many parents and children as I was prior. I have asked other parents from schools if they received any notification of Tuesday nights forum as you stated you did and not one can provide me with anything that they were notified that there is an open forum. I couldn't find it on any district page either. Even your sign outside of South just said parents forum 7 PM. It is been brought to my attention that the students who wanted to bring awareness to suicide with the school paper called the patriot received less than supportive remarks and statements from you personally in the school to include punishment for writing about Sara and suicide. I've heard that multiple students have gone to the social workers this week asking for help. Parents were not notified and the children were sent back to class ill-equipped and unprepared to face the world. I've heard that teachers were not aware of the open forum nor were they aware that they were the eyes and ears on the school. The fact that social workers solely relied upon them to identify at risk students however have received no training in order to do so. The fact that the social workers stated they only present to the freshman class is a concern. I have received emails and text messages from parents and students stating that they are being told no they cannot do classroom projects or assignments on suicide awareness and that parents are speaking up stating that they do not agree with silencing the children. While am aware of the balancing politics and policies that you are dancing around, your student body is speaking up and begging for change. Recently in local news we had a transgender become homecoming queen and look how that school supported the situation. You had two suicides within six weeks of each other and instead of banding together like the rest of the world is doing, it is clear that the message we are sending from South is to be silent be ashamed hold it in don't talk to anybody go back to class. I hope to God Sara did not receive that same treatment last year if she struggled from social workers. My mission is to help students and parents become more educated and understand the risks the signs and to be prepared for what could happen to them. Sara was more than A statistic in that school. Now I'm not sure what is true and what is false but I'm leaning after the multiple stories that I've heard that most of what I'm saying is true at least some form of it. I have parents students and anonymous teachers reaching out daily feeling hopeless ill-equipped unsupported. This is not a threat, this is a realization that something needs to change. there's a school board meeting coming up I plan on attending that meeting and I will voice and bring my concerns and I've suggested to all parents as well to go to the meeting to voice their concerns to make a difference because they don't feel like they're getting the difference from you or from the social workers. My daughter is dead there is nothing that I can do to change that or save her. But we have the opportunity to save the others in the schools that are struggling that are reaching out. I know that they're reaching out to daily to somebody for help and feel as though they are getting lipservice and smiles. Bottom line is that we are facing an epidemic where children are thinking that suicide is a coping mechanism. The experts said it themselves. Dr. Dain as you can see the student body, parents, and people of the community are trying to help and make a difference. I trying to balance how to help. I'm telling you honestly the kids and parents are not going to back down. The expert said it Tuesday night over and over and over again you can't plant the idea of suicide in a child's head they also said suicide is not a contagion as I was so inappropriately told in a letter. However not allowing or helping a child cope and silencing them and making them feel ashamed about how they're feeling will impact a child's decisions in life. Please provide me with some feedback and what interactions have gone on since last week's lunch and learns so that I can show the school children and parents maybe that there is a different side to the story.
Allie Doss
While I may not have a living child at Shawnee Mission South, I am part of the community and I grew up in the Shawnee Mission school district. I have very strong connections within the community who are also wanting to make a change and they are just wanting to help. We have an opportunity to really make a difference not only in south but in other schools. I don't expect change overnight but I also struggle with students and parents reaching out to me telling me that they feel like their voices are not being heard and that they're being silenced. I know that you have received emails to include teachers. Since Tuesday I have been contacted by twice as many parents and children as I was prior. I have asked other parents from schools if they received any notification of Tuesday nights forum as you stated you did and not one can provide me with anything that they were notified that there is an open forum. I couldn't find it on any district page either. Even your sign outside of South just said parents forum 7 PM. It is been brought to my attention that the students who wanted to bring awareness to suicide with the school paper called the patriot received less than supportive remarks and statements from you personally in the school to include punishment for writing about Sara and suicide. I've heard that multiple students have gone to the social workers this week asking for help. Parents were not notified and the children were sent back to class ill-equipped and unprepared to face the world. I've heard that teachers were not aware of the open forum nor were they aware that they were the eyes and ears on the school. The fact that social workers solely relied upon them to identify at risk students however have received no training in order to do so. The fact that the social workers stated they only present to the freshman class is a concern. I have received emails and text messages from parents and students stating that they are being told no they cannot do classroom projects or assignments on suicide awareness and that parents are speaking up stating that they do not agree with silencing the children. While am aware of the balancing politics and policies that you are dancing around, your student body is speaking up and begging for change. Recently in local news we had a transgender become homecoming queen and look how that school supported the situation. You had two suicides within six weeks of each other and instead of banding together like the rest of the world is doing, it is clear that the message we are sending from South is to be silent be ashamed hold it in don't talk to anybody go back to class. I hope to God Sara did not receive that same treatment last year if she struggled from social workers. My mission is to help students and parents become more educated and understand the risks the signs and to be prepared for what could happen to them. Sara was more than A statistic in that school. Now I'm not sure what is true and what is false but I'm leaning after the multiple stories that I've heard that most of what I'm saying is true at least some form of it. I have parents students and anonymous teachers reaching out daily feeling hopeless ill-equipped unsupported. This is not a threat, this is a realization that something needs to change. there's a school board meeting coming up I plan on attending that meeting and I will voice and bring my concerns and I've suggested to all parents as well to go to the meeting to voice their concerns to make a difference because they don't feel like they're getting the difference from you or from the social workers. My daughter is dead there is nothing that I can do to change that or save her. But we have the opportunity to save the others in the schools that are struggling that are reaching out. I know that they're reaching out to daily to somebody for help and feel as though they are getting lipservice and smiles. Bottom line is that we are facing an epidemic where children are thinking that suicide is a coping mechanism. The experts said it themselves. Dr. Dain as you can see the student body, parents, and people of the community are trying to help and make a difference. I trying to balance how to help. I'm telling you honestly the kids and parents are not going to back down. The expert said it Tuesday night over and over and over again you can't plant the idea of suicide in a child's head they also said suicide is not a contagion as I was so inappropriately told in a letter. However not allowing or helping a child cope and silencing them and making them feel ashamed about how they're feeling will impact a child's decisions in life. Please provide me with some feedback and what interactions have gone on since last week's lunch and learns so that I can show the school children and parents maybe that there is a different side to the story.
Allie Doss
As of today 9/28/2015, I have received no reply from any of the people included in the letter above.
For all of those who want to speak up to share how they feel about the schools actions or lack there of, I have made it easy for you. Here are a list of email addresses. Unless you reach out, nothing will change.
Todd Dain-Principle-todddain@smsd.o
Joe Gilhouse-Above Principle Dain-joegilhaus@smsd.org
Jim Hinson-Superintendent- jimhinson@smsd.org
askthedistrict@smsd.org They dont answer my emails :)
Deb Zila-Board of Education South- debzila@smsd.org
If we don't take a stand, these kill will not get the help they need. Stand with me!!! Be vocal. Help make a difference
askthedistrict@smsd.org They dont answer my emails :)
Deb Zila-Board of Education South- debzila@smsd.org
If we don't take a stand, these kill will not get the help they need. Stand with me!!! Be vocal. Help make a difference
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