Dr. Crankshaw’s Message to the GJSD Community on the Loss of Our Student
Dear GJSD Families,
It is with profound sadness that I inform the Greater Johnstown School District community about the untimely passing of one of our 2021 graduates, Haley Case. We were notified by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department this morning that Haley was the victim of a fatal automobile accident.
The loss of a student can be a difficult and challenging situation that can generate a high level of anxiety and distress in students, even if they didn’t know the person who passed away.
The District’s Crisis Team was engaged early on in the school day to provide counseling support for students and staff, and those resources will remain in place for as long as they are needed. The administrative team at Johnstown Jr.-Sr. High School took great care in notifying our school community of Haley’s passing this morning, spending one-on-one time with individuals who needed additional support.
It is important that parents, guardians and other family members find ways to further support children for whom this is particularly impactful. If you are seeking help for how to speak to your child about this tragedy, please read through this very helpful list of grief resources, which may give useful insight on the different ways that our children grieve.
If you feel your child needs to speak with a guidance counselor, social worker or another adult, please contact Jr.-Sr. HS Principal Scott Hale at (518) 762-4661 or by email at shale@johnstownschools.org, and he will connect you with someone to provide immediate assistance.
Our hearts go out to Haley’s family and friends. As a community, we will continue to support all of them in the weeks and months ahead as they mourn and grieve the loss of Haley.
It is times like these that make me so proud to serve as the Superintendent of Schools for the Greater Johnstown School District. Our community connectedness makes this district feel – and serve – as a family. Together, we will continue to help each other process the events that unfolded today. Haley is forever one of our students and will always be fondly remembered as part of the GJSD family.
Sincerely,
Dr. William Crankshaw
Superintendent of Schools
Greater Johnstown School District