MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County Schools wants students, staff, and families to know they are here to help with mourning the loss of a loved one to Covid-19.
SCS has had 387 Covid-19 cases among its students since the start of the school year on August 9. Westwood High School is mourning the loss of a student, Azorean Tatum, who died from the virus over the weekend.
SCS's Jerica Phillips said grief counselors are in every school to help students and staff dealing with a loss.
"When we know that there has been death, again of an employee or a student, we want to make sure that staff is supported as well as the children who are learning the news," Phillips said.
SCS said school leadership will communicate with families and staff when someone within the school dies. It will make sure it is checking in on those directly affected to offer support on a daily basis.
"Those grief counselors and support staff at the schools, they’re going to identify those students or staff who may be struggling and then provide that individual support on what their needs may be," Phillips said.
SCS launched a mental health hotline, which has received nearly 960 calls since April 2020.
"During the pandemic when our families and our students were shuttered at home and there was a safer at home order they were experiencing a lot of trauma," Phillips said. "They were losing family members so we were able to provide that hotline even when schools were closed for families to reach out, for employees to reach out."
The school district also offers teletherapy sessions for students and staff needing extra support. It's conducted more than 2,100 sessions so far.