June 23, 2025

 

To Our Utica City School District Community,

It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we share the tragic news of the passing of one of our Jones Elementary School students. This young member of our school family died unexpectedly over the weekend, and our entire district community is deeply grieving this heartbreaking loss.

Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies are with the student's family during this unimaginably difficult time. We also extend our support to the teachers, staff, and students at Jones Elementary who knew and cared for this young member of our school family.

The loss of any student affects our entire school community. We have activated our comprehensive crisis response team, and our counseling staff and school psychologists are available to provide support to any students, families, or staff members who need assistance in processing this tragedy.

For immediate support, we have established a crisis hotline at (315) 368-6740. Additional counseling services will be available at Jones Elementary School to ensure our students and staff have the resources they need during this difficult time.

We encourage parents and guardians to have gentle, age-appropriate conversations with their children about this loss, as these discussions can be an important part of the healing process. If you feel your child needs additional support, please reach out to your school's guidance department or call our crisis hotline.

In this time of profound sadness, we are reminded of how precious each member of our school family is to us. We will honor this student's memory by continuing to be here for our students and staff, offering any assistance they may need during this difficult time.

 

With heartfelt sympathy and support,