nmah1576.xml

nmah1576.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-09

I was the Principal of the Hanson Middle School in Hanson, MA. My nurse was talking to a parent when she was told about the first plane. I turned the TV on in my office and felt what an awful accident. Within a few minutes the second plane hit and I knew it was not an accident anymore. I immediatey sent an e-mail to my staff explaining what I saw and to be sure they did not turn on any televisions or radios in the classroom, or talk about the events until my crisis team could formalize a plan. A teacher came to me paniced because her 3 children worked in the area. She went home and thankfully was able to contact them all and they were safe. Parents called to tell us their relatives that worked for the airlines were safe and could we please pass this on to the students involved. I caled each student down to tell them there had been an accident involving a plane out of Logan airport, but their family member was not involved. I continually updated my staff via e-mail and set up an area where they could see the TV without involving students. My crisis team decided that we would send the students back to their homerooms for the last 30 minutes of the day to watch the events on TV and discuss the day with their teachers. I did receive a lot of criticism from some in the community because they felt I should not have exposed the children to the events without the parents there, and the parents should have been the ones to tell them when the student arrived home. We did think of this but felt there were a number of students going home to an empty house, and it would be better if we gave them time with an adult to see the events and discuss them before they went home and saw them on TV by themselves.

Fortunately our school community did not have anyone who was lost in the tragedy, but enough area towns did realize a loss and this affected us deeply.

My student council immediately started a fundraiser and in a few days had well over $1000 that we gave to an Abington, MA family who lost their husband/dad that day. he entire school wore red, white, and blue ribbons and took part in the Presidents salute to the Flag.

My life has changed because I lost a good friend that day. Secret Service Master Special Agent Craig Miller grew up not far from me in East Bridgewater, MA and I have known him since he was 10 years old. Craig spent a number of years in the Army and was a decorated veteran of desert Shield/Desert Storm. He was usually assigned to the Presidential motorcade but was in NY for the UN meetiong that was to take place that week. Craig entered the building to assist in the evacuation and never made it out., He was the only Secret Service member who was lost that day. He left behind a wife, 2 stepsons, and 7 month old twins, plus his parents and a brother.

The heroic actions of the day

I am a 23 year veteran of the Army and Army Reserves. My feelings, pride, and loyalty to the flag and my country have not changed because of the events, but rather have been validated.