Dear Emmanuel Family,

In the wake of today’s heartbreaking events, our thoughts and prayers are with each and every member of the Northwestern Family. We share in the pain and sorrow that has touched our community. It is with heavy hearts that we reach out to you today.

We intentionally refrained from sharing details with our students, understanding the importance of allowing parents to have those difficult conversations in a way that feels right for their families. We recognize the significance of your role in guiding and supporting your children through such challenging moments.

Today, we witnessed the strength of our ECA family as groups spontaneously gathered for prayer, united in shared grief. While the days ahead will be challenging, we are committed to providing the support and resources needed to help our Northwestern Warrior families navigate this difficult time.

Our response plan for the remainder of the week will include:

• Age appropriate prayer session in our chapels tomorrow

• On Thursday, we invite everyone to join us for Red and Blue Warrior Day, a symbolic show of unity and resilience in the face of adversity. For this day, students may wear any shirt that is red or blue with jeans, regular school pants, skirts or shorts.

Please know our hearts are here for you and your children. We will be working diligently to address individual needs as they arise.

As we come to terms with the unimaginable, let us draw strength from Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” In times like these, leaning on our faith and each other can provide a source of comfort and healing.

Blessings,

John Essig, Superintendent
Dan Moore, Principal