I worked at an all boys Catholic high school in the Bronx during 9/11. I worked at a high school in Connecticut during Sandy Hook. During the course of these past two decades, I have been in schools during lock downs, medical emergencies, and scary weather events.

What can I do to help? Stay calm. Model for children that we are safe, that the powers that be have our best interests at mind, and the best we can do to help is to be ready.

Ready to listen. Ready to take action when called upon, whether it’s answering emails, answering phones, making copies, wiping down an office. Just be ready.

We can’t be ready if we are monitoring the television or internet for information we probably already have. We can’t be ready if we are repeating the latest sound-byte from a media outlet. We can’t be ready if we are so consumed by fear that we are paralyzed.

Time to put aside our personal fears and let our children, and the children we work for know that there is no reason to fear. Make yourself available and optimistic, whether at home or in the office. Let’s look to the future and seize this time as an opportunity to reflect.

Reflect on how we can do things better. Reflect on some new skills we can practice. Reflect on how we can boost the morale of those struggling around us.

Stay healthy, stay hopeful, and stay strong.