The following message is from North Albany Middle School Principal Andrea Piper:
Dear Families,
Following Tuesday's news that our worst fears have been realized from last weekend's tragic accident in Washington Park, we wanted to reach out to you once again to share information about our support services at school, and to provide you with resources to talk about traumatic events at home.
The second North Albany Middle School student involved in Saturday's accident has died from injuries suffered as they tried to rescue their classmate after that student fell through the ice on the Washington Park lake.
With support from the district and clinicians from Northern Rivers, our teachers and staff have talked with our students this week about this terrible tragedy and offered emotional support to any student in need.
We will continue to support our students, and each other as a school community, as we all grieve and process.
If you are worried about your child, please contact us and we can help connect you with resources to support your family. You also can access the Crisis Text Line for free, confidential support.
We also would like to share additional guidance to help you support your child:
- When Grief and Loss Hits Close to Home: Tips for Caregivers
- Tips for Talking to Children and Youth After Traumatic Events: A Guide for Parents and Educators
Please know that you can call us at school if you or your child need to speak with a member of our Student Support Team.
