October 13, 2017
A Message to the Bear Family
Our hearts are broken. It is with great sadness that I inform you of the loss of one of our fifth-grade students on Wednesday night. On Thursday morning, we made the difficult decision to inform our fourth- and fifth-grade students to prevent the spread of piecemeal information that they may have heard from other sources. Our counselor, Carlos Booker, informed those students that the young man had passed away, but given their young ages and out of sensitivity, did not give them additional details. Our students wrote letters and made cards for the student’s family, and we had counselors available to them from across the district. I also notified fourth- and fifth-grade parents by phone yesterday and have informed all parents today so you may decide whether it is appropriate to talk with your child this evening.
It is natural for children to have questions and fears. The following may be helpful:
A few words of caution regarding social media: We are aware of the rumors that are circulating and understand that many are struggling to understand why this happened to such a wonderful child. Do not believe everything you read, and out of respect for the family, please do not post rumors or speculation. We encourage you to post positive thoughts or memories and offer words of encouragement and support to the child’s family.
Most Sincerely,
Elizabeth R. Hill
Principal
Our hearts are broken. It is with great sadness that I inform you of the loss of one of our fifth-grade students on Wednesday night. On Thursday morning, we made the difficult decision to inform our fourth- and fifth-grade students to prevent the spread of piecemeal information that they may have heard from other sources. Our counselor, Carlos Booker, informed those students that the young man had passed away, but given their young ages and out of sensitivity, did not give them additional details. Our students wrote letters and made cards for the student’s family, and we had counselors available to them from across the district. I also notified fourth- and fifth-grade parents by phone yesterday and have informed all parents today so you may decide whether it is appropriate to talk with your child this evening.
It is natural for children to have questions and fears. The following may be helpful:
- Tell the truth.
- Allow your child to talk about his or her feelings. If this is the first loss your child has experienced, your child may not know how to respond and will be looking for your guidance.
- Affirm all expressions. It is okay to express feelings honestly. Tolerate the expressions rather than dismissing them or discouraging the expression of feelings.
- Encourage written expressions such as notes, letters, or drawings.
- Reaffirm that your child is safe and that your child is loved.
- Affirm that your child’s reaction is normal and you understand the way the child feels.
- Watch for signs of trouble such as aggression, anger, withdrawal, etc.
- Help the child return to as normal a routine as possible.
A few words of caution regarding social media: We are aware of the rumors that are circulating and understand that many are struggling to understand why this happened to such a wonderful child. Do not believe everything you read, and out of respect for the family, please do not post rumors or speculation. We encourage you to post positive thoughts or memories and offer words of encouragement and support to the child’s family.
Most Sincerely,
Elizabeth R. Hill
Principal
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