A Sample Letter For School Principals RE: Student Deaths This Week

Consider this offering a bit of speculative fiction, at least part of it is based in fact.

My daughter’s school district has made the disastrous decision to open in stages this fall. While the Superintendent has a busy schedule trying to force the opening of school buildings, intermural sports start practices in mid-August. There is a lot to do, so I thought there might not have time to draft all the sample letters that they might need. So I decided to draft one on that Principals might need to send home to parents to address student deaths that week.

Dear ___________________High School Family,

With deep sadness, we inform you of the passing of the following students this week from COVID-19. Our death rate is still well below the national average, and we count our blessings every day that so many of our students are probably not positive at this time.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families at this difficult time:

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

[note: if deaths this week are more than 5+, consider sending a separate letter as too many reports are demoralizing to the students and might end up encouraging them to take online classes.]

Please remember we are updating our website with memorial services sorted by denomination in alphabetical order. Jewish students observing Shiva, the seven days of mourning at home, will be excused from in-person classes but will be expected back right after the mourning.

If you can donate to the PTA burial fund, please do so soon as the GoFundMe balance is still $X000 shy of the $XX,000 goal. We want to provide each teacher or their survivors with a minimum of $X00 for each burial.

Students can obtain service learning hours by acting as pallbearers or ushers at any of the designated funerals. Make sure you return your forms quickly, as the coordinator was not feeling well and had to go home early today.

Teachers only get two paper masks at the start of the year. All donations of PPE to the teachers is welcome. Please also send sanitizer, gloves, and face shields if you have extra at home. There is not enough top quality to protect front line healthcare workers, so presume the same shortages will apply to teachers and students. But don’t be concerned, as we will do our best to order enough this time.

We will continue to stand for student health in theory, but we will not be hiring any new nurses or janitors, so we should all pitch in. Any parents who have medical first aid training are encouraged to volunteer to screen students as they enter the building. It would be wonderful if we could start a screening program at some point.

While we can’t tell you the names of any of the students who have tested positive for COVID-19, because of HIPPA laws, we have encouraged students who “may” have been exposed to stay home. If your child does not see someone at school, they should reach out to see if they have been placed in quarantine. If your child has been exposed, remember it is your responsibility to quarantine them or your child risks suspension and expulsion.

Please remember that we will be suspending any student who spits on another student, or otherwise threatens to expose them to COVID. Mask wearing will be mandatory, except when eating lunch in a socially distant manner, as all teenagers do.

We are on the roto to get on-site COVID-19 testing; please make sure you have your parents or guardian sign the medical authorization for testing form. Our next testing date is in 6 weeks.

Phone counseling services will be available if students need to speak to someone about their concerns or help in the grieving process. Limit one call per student death, please.

If you have any questions, my door is always “open” to video calls from parents.

Respectfully Distant,

Your Principal.

___________________________________________________________

I hope we don’t get to a point where these letters will become commonplace, but I am concerned there will be a letter like this going home at some point. School Districts should move fully online this fall, as most other school districts in the area are doing. But whatever happens, my child will not step foot on to campus at least for the rest of this year.