[Superintendent's Update] Superintendent's Update

[Needham Public Schools Superintendent's Update]

Dear Needham Public Schools Families:

The Needham community is facing a heartbreaking loss of one of our juniors,
Talia Newfield, who was struck by a car in Needham last night and died.  A
classmate, Adrienne Garrido, was also injured and is hospitalized in
Boston.

The loss of a young person who was a daughter and sister within a loving
family and a vibrant member of the school community is difficult to
comprehend.  Our hearts, prayers, and thoughts go out to the Newfield
Family this morning as they mourn the loss of Talia.  And we pray for a
speedy and full recovery for Adrienne.

Needham High School's cafeteria will be open today (Sunday) from 10:30-12:30 to
allow students to come in and talk with counselors and with each
other. Staff from the NHS Guidance Department will be joined by staff from
Needham Youth and Family Services and staff from Riverside Community Care.
Needham High School Principal, Aaron Sicotte, encourages students to come
in and talk about what happened or seek support.  Support and resources
will also be available during the upcoming week for the school community.

If parents are looking for a way to discuss the news with their children or
their children have questions, here are some online resources that may help:

Scholastic: Children and Grief <http://www.scholastic.com/childrenandgrief/>

Psychology Today: Talking to Children about Death
<https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/understanding-grief/201701/talking-children-about-death>

In addition, counselors in each school will be available tomorrow to assist
any student who is experiencing difficulty over the news.

The next several days will be challenging for the community as we mourn the
loss of one of our own and pray for Adrienne's recovery.  We stand ready to
provide resources, support, and care for Needham's families and,
especially, our children.

Respectfully,

Dan Gutekanst
Superintendent of Schools
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