School district holds grief-counseling sessions for students, parents

• Grief counseling at Greenwood Elementary

Grief counseling at Greenwood Elementary

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Educators gathered both the night of July 10 and morning of July 11 in response to the sudden and tragic deaths of three school-age Schaffhausen girls in River Falls; the groups prepared to hold counseling sessions at Greenwood Elementary School 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, July 11, and another 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, July 12, for students and parents.

School District Superintendent Tom Westerhaus said RFSD and the Greenwood building each have a crisis team that assembled, and its members were joined by other teachers and administrators who wanted to help.

Amara and Sophie attended Greenwood, and Celiea would have started there in the fall.

Westerhaus and Greenwood Principal Nate Schurman said counselors from all around the district – and even two who had retired – came to help students and parents cope with the tremendous loss.

He said kids and their parents were invited to talk with counselors, sign an honor wall for the girls, create memorial-type artwork and/or tie a white ribbon around one of the schoolyard trees. Everyone helping with the sessions had pinned a tiny white ribbon to their shirt.

A group of about 35 were on hand to help. Westerhaus and Schurman said the crisis team(s) had not been able to reach out to the girls' family yet but will as possible and appropriate.

The two said the teams were trying to create a safe and familiar place for students and parents to come during an uncertain time.

They said the purpose of the counseling sessions was to help students and parents cope with the deaths and let them know – especially the kids – that their feelings are valid and that they’re not alone in feeling them.

Schurman said, “The focus has been on being present and a good listener.”

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