A tragic loss for our school community

The following message is from Arbor Hill Elementary School Principal Rosalind Gaines-Harrell:

Dear Families,

It is with profound sadness that we inform you of a tragic loss for our school community. On Saturday night, one of our students died following an accident at home apparently connected to a dangerous TikTok challenge. While online challenges are framed as fun and interesting, the risks are often severe and often underestimated by youth. 

This tragic loss may understandably bring up many emotions and questions for our entire school, especially our students. Our district’s Crisis Response Team, composed of trained professionals from the district and our partner organizations, will be available to support students, parents and guardians, and employees during this difficult time. Counselors, support staff and therapy dogs will be accessible to any student who wishes to discuss their feelings about this loss. 

We strongly encourage you to talk with your children at home about this event and the serious risks of participating in online challenges. Help them understand the dangers of online trends and their potential consequences. Stress the importance of making safe decisions and seeking help from an adult if they or a friend encounter concerning online content. 

When speaking with your child, consider these key points:

• Listen to their thoughts and feelings.
• Explain the physical dangers of these challenges in a way they can understand.
• Be aware of, have access to and/or place restrictions on the social media they use, and the content they can view and access.
• Maintain open communication and assure them they can approach you or another trusted adult about online concerns without fear of judgment. 
• Reinforce with your child that they can share with you anything they may hear or notice that doesn't seem right or safe, or makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or worried.

We are also providing resources to help you talk to your children at home about grief and the dangers of social media challenges. In addition to the resources listed below, the district has free telehealth counseling services available for students.

• Grief Resources for Kids | Dougy Center
• Book: "When Someone Dies: A Children's Mindful How-to Guide on Grief and Loss"
• Kids & Screen Time: How to Use the 5 Cs of Media Guidance
• Dangerous Social Media Challenges: Understanding Their Appeal to Kids
• Keeping teens safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis and need immediate please call Mobile Crisis at (518) 292-5499.

We are deeply saddened by this loss for our school community and are committed to supporting you and your child. Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you would like to discuss your child and how we can best support them during this difficult time.