PARENT NOTICE - Letter from Dr. Hunter
June 29, 2022
Dear Parents and Guardians,
It is with a heavy heart that I send this letter making you aware that one of our recent high school graduates, Mason Swartz, class of 2022, has passed away. The School District would like to extend its deepest condolences during these very difficult times.
When tragic situations like this occur within our community it quickly brings to light just how fragile our world can be. In times like this, we need to remember to support one another. Oftentimes whenever there is a death of a young person, other students will experience strong emotions. Dealing with issues like this are difficult for adolescents to process and fully understand. We highly encourage you to talk with your children about their feelings and the emotions that they may be experiencing. Your children may show signs of stress including difficulty sleeping, excessive worrying, guilt, irritability, thoughts of death and dying, or exhibiting risk taking behaviors. It is normal to experience common grief reactions that include shock, sadness, fear, shame, anger and guilt. If you are concerned about how your child is handling this loss, you can contact the following support services that will be able to provide additional help:
In addition, our school counselors will be available to help support our students in need tomorrow from 8:00 a.m. until noon at the high school. The District will continue to provide counseling services for our students in need throughout the summer. Please contact the school for additional information. Our thoughts are with the entire Middletown community at this time.
The District would like to once again extend its deepest and sincere condolences to the Swartz family.
Dr. Chelton Hunter
Superintendent of Schools