Dear Exeter Families,

This week our school community suffered a tremendous loss with the sudden and unexpected death of one of our seniors, Melody Bauroth-Sherman.  Melody by all accounts was a wonderful young woman, a scholar, a musician, an athlete, and a friend.

As the Superintendent, my mind went immediately to our students and staff and their well-being in this time of grief. To that end, we have been offering counseling here at the High School for the past two days and we will offer more counseling when students and staff return to school next week.

As the mother of three girls between the ages of 17 and 21, this hit very close to home for me.  As a parent, it is really hard to know what to do in times like these, how to support your child, and even to know if your child needs support.  This weekend, we saw students who had no direct connection to Melody experiencing the devastation of her loss, and for some, it has triggered underlying depression and they are really struggling.

There are many days between today and the return to school.  Normally, students would be here at school and our counselors would be readily available to them.  While they are home with their families this week parents, guardians, and friends may need to be even more vigilant for signs that a student is suffering and needs help.

Checking in on your child, even if you don’t think that they have any direct connection to this tragedy, is important.  If you find that they do need help here is a resource that you could use at any time:

• RUOK: text ruOK to 484-816-7865
  • Secure, anonymous communications for 24/7 mental health response

You can also find a list of other mental health resources by clicking HERE.
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Sincerely,
Dr. Kimberly Minor
Superintendent