2 April 2003

Dear Parents,

It is with great sadness that I write this letter to inform you of the tragic death of one of our Heart Lake students. A grade 9 student at the school was killed yesterday afternoon in the wooded area behind the school. Because of the new Youth Justice Criminal Act, we cannot give out the name of the student. He was a valued member of our school community, and his loss is widely felt.

It's important to remember that this incident happened off school property, and Heart Lake continues to be a safe place to learn. Police have charged a 14-year-old boy with first degree murder. According to police, the victim and accused knew each other, and they believe the alleged assailant acted alone.

This tragedy has brought great grief to the students and staff at Heart Lake. We made an announcement before school started this morning and observed a moment of silence. The Peel District School Board's Critical Incident Response Team has been at the school since early this morning, and its members are offering counselling to the victim's friends and classmates, as well as other students and staff. The team will remain at the school as long as they are needed.

The death of this student is deeply felt by everyone at Heart Lake. Even students who did not personally know the victim or the alleged assailant will also be affected by this tragedy and by the ongoing publicity surrounding this incident. Here are some ways you can help your teen deal with the grief and trauma:

• Acknowledge the loss and the emotional upset.
• Be available to your teen. If you don't know the right thing to say, just listen. Acknowledge that we don't always have answers to why these things happen.
• Provide a reassuring environment in which your teen feels comfortable expressing his or her thoughts and feelings.
• Encourage your teen to experience the loss in the way that's most comfortable for him or her. Some teens are open about their feelings, while others prefer not to talk about them or may only want to talk to their peers.
• Share an experience you might have had with bereavement and how you handled it.
• Help your teen understand that it's not helpful to engage in speculation and rumours.
• Reassure your teen that our school continues to be a safe place. We're doing everything possible at the school to reinforce safety practices and procedures.
• Encourage your teen to follow normal routines as much as possible. Offer your teen practical support—like helping with homework and catching up on assignments.
• Some teens react with hostility and anger. Try not to take any outbursts personally.
• Acknowledge that there's no time limit on grieving.

Be aware of signs that your teen needs additional support to deal with this tragedy. Warning signs include: prolonged physical or psychological distress (lack of appetite, sudden weight gain, persistent aches and pains, continued panic, anxiety, apathy or depression), becoming violent towards self or others, or decline in school performance. Please contact Mrs. Jones, guidance secretary at 905-840-2328 ext. 262, if you would like to speak with a guidance counsellor or the school social worker or psychologist.

Our hearts go out to the victim's family. We will be honouring the family's wishes regarding funeral arrangements and any commemoration of the student at the school. In the meantime, we will continue to support each other. In the lobby of our school are flowers and a giant sympathy card, on which students are writing messages.

As always, please feel free to call the school at 905-840-2328 to speak with me or one of the vice-principals if you have questions or concerns.

Scott Moreash, Principal