Tragedy struck Pennsylvania this week, as an 11th-grade student at Pennsbury High School passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Thursday evening, according to the school district.
No cause of death was provided by the school district regarding the student’s recent passing, though the district did note that the student passed away “suddenly”
The school posted a letter written by Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith and Principal Reggie Meadows about the student’s passing on Facebook. In the letter, few details about the sudden death were given but the two administrators encouraged families to keep a close eye on their kids and how they are coping with the sudden passing of a fellow student, saying:
Dear Pennsbury Families,
I am saddened to report that one of our students, an 11th-grade student at PHS, passed away suddenly last evening. Our condolences go out to the student’s family and friends.
Many adolescents and members of our community may be impacted (either directly or indirectly) by this loss. School counselors and case managers will be available throughout the day at PHS to assist students.
The death of a student presents us with many questions that we may not be able to answer right away.
Rumors may begin to circulate, and we ask that you not spread rumors you may hear. We’ll do our best to give you accurate information as it becomes known to us.
"*" indicates required fields
If you feel that your child is having difficulty coping with this event, please let us know as soon as possible. As always, our counselors will remain accessible to the entire student body, and with the help of our faculty, attempt to identify any students who may be having ongoing difficulties.
Please keep in mind that any traumatic event can trigger an emotional reaction, even to an unrelated event (family illness, prior losses, etc.). Please review the below links for suggestions on how to comfort someone after an unexpected loss and common characteristics of an adolescent who may be having difficulty coping (see links below).
By: Will Tanner. Follow me on Twitter @Will_Tanner_1