This week, we were incredibly saddened to learn of the untimely death of Ahmed Ahmed and Riley Cotter, two grade 12 students at John McCrae who died as a result of an accident on the Rideau River.
This is very sad news for us all. This tragedy will be felt deeply by students and staff in our community. The school administration has reached out to the families of the students to extend condolences on behalf of the JMSS community.
Our priority is to ensure that we are supporting the families of the students and our school community in any way that we can. A letter was sent to the school community earlier this week with information about supports for students.
The sudden loss of a young person is incredibly difficult to understand. We each react to death in many different ways and we know that students and staff may need some time to process the reality of the situation. Reactions can vary but may include feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, or confusion. While some students may appear sad, others may withdraw or appear restless or irritable. It is natural for us to feel various emotions as we all struggle to make sense of this tragedy.
The website
kidsgrief.ca provides resources for parents to help discuss these issues.
The OCDSB mental health team is available to support students. Staff requiring assistance can connect with our Employee & Family Assistance Program.
ComPsych is available 24/7. There will also be a mental health team on site at the school on January 8th to support students and staff.
We continue to be in contact with the families and will share additional information on behalf of the families when and if requested. The school administration and staff are committed to supporting the school community during this difficult time.
Update - January 2nd - Riley Cotter:
On behalf of the Cotter family, information on visitation and the funeral service can be found
here.
Our OCDSB mental health team is available to support students or staff requiring assistance. They will be at the school on January 8, 2024, to help provide support as needed. If you feel your child requires support, please do not hesitate to contact me at
[email protected]. The website
kidsgrief.ca provides resources for parents to help discuss these issues or you can visit our website
here for further information. Community resources are also available to support you and your child. You may contact the Youth Services Bureau Crisis Line 24/7 at 613-260-2360 or Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.