Counselors Available at C-NS High School - Parent Resources for Coping with Death

Please see the following letter to the North Syracuse Central School District community regarding the death of a Cicero-North Syracuse High School student. 

Dear North Syracuse Central School District Students, Families, Staff and Community Members,

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I am writing to let you know that one of our students at Cicero-North Syracuse High School passed away unexpectedly this morning, 12/10/19. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the student’s family, friends, teachers and our entire community. As we try to process the tragic news and cope with grief, we will offer counseling and bereavement support services at C-NS for all of our students and staff.

A student death is a difficult and challenging situation that can generate a high level of anxiety and distress. While most young people have some understanding of death, it is common for them to view themselves as invincible. Coping with the loss of a classmate may point out the reality of a child’s own mortality. Additionally, children who may not have experienced the death of someone close to them, may be confused as to how to handle grief. If you feel that your children are having difficulty, we encourage you to discuss their thoughts and feelings to help them work through their grief or concerns. Please also consider monitoring and discussing your children’s communications (social media, phone, e-mail, text messaging) to further assess their potential needs.
We take our mission to contribute to our students’ social/emotional development very seriously, and we will always be attentive to students’ emotional needs at school. If you feel that your children need to speak to a counselor or other adult, please do not hesitate to call your child’s school to let us know.

• Allen Road Elementary School – (315) 218-2300
• KWS Bear Road Elementary School – (315) 218-2400
• Cicero Elementary School – (315) 218-2500
• Lakeshore Road Elementary School – (315) 218-2600
• Roxboro Road Elementary School – (315) 218-2700
• Smith Road Elementary School – (315) 218-2800
• Gillette Road Middle School – (315) 218-3000
• Roxboro Road Middle School – (315) 218-3300
• North Syracuse Junior High School – (315) 218-3600
• Cicero-North Syracuse High School – (315) 218-4100
• North Syracuse Early Education Program – (315) 218-2200

If you would like some ideas for talking with your child at home, please click here to visit our parent resources website for resources for coping with death. Additionally, please feel welcome to contact Lisa Goldberg, the district’s director of instructional support for diverse learning (315-218-2134) for guidance on how to handle and talk about any grief or concerns that your children may be experiencing. This is a difficult time for everyone, but I know our students and staff will be able to lean on each other as they remember their classmate.

Thank you,
Daniel D. Bowles,
North Syracuse Central School District Superintendent of Schools