Mt. Carmel Elementary (MCES) and Church Hill Middle (CHMS) Schools have been designated a “Grief-Sensitive School” by the New York Life Foundation, each receiving a $500 grant to help create a bereavement support plan and encourage ongoing staff development as part of the national Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative.
Schools confront issues of grief and loss every day: 1 in 15 US children* will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. Studies show that unresolved grief can have a social and emotional impact on children, leading to behavioral issues and poor performance in school.
Principals Amy Glass at MCES and Sherry Price from CHMS immediately wanted to join this initiative. They have personally seen the impact a grieving child experiences and wanted to be as sensitive to their needs as possible. Director Matt Hixson shared, “On a yearly basis, many of our students experience a loss and we need to be there for them. Our educators see them daily during the school year and we need to help them in their time of need. I am extremely proud of these two schools who have stepped up in this manner.”