NEWS RELEASE – ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
January 14, 2008

Trained staff from the Rochester City School District’s Grief Resource Team are on hand at the Franklin Educational Campus to help students deal with the death of a fellow student following a swimming pool accident on Saturday.

Funeral services are still being arranged for Marcus Radford, an 11th grade student at the Bioscience & Health Careers High School at Franklin. Marcus, 17, had been a student at the Franklin campus since 7th grade. In accordance with Board of Education policy, the school’s flag will be flown at half-staff on the day of the funeral, which has not yet been announced.     

Staff from Franklin and the school district are providing support to Marcus’s family and have been in contact with them since receiving the news of his death.

The District’s Grief Resource Team consists of staff who have been specially trained in issues of grief and loss and helping others deal with those issues. These specialists work with school personnel to help students express their grief in healthy, positive ways and maintain their focus on learning. The team also provides assistance to parents in talking with their children about grief and loss.