A sad loss in our school community

Letter – Saltfleet death of staff member

September 7, 2022

Dear families,

It is with deep sadness that we are sharing with you the news of the tragic death of Mr. Stan Satchell, one of our teachers, and Head of Canadian and World Studies.  Mr. Satchell was a passionate historian, and enjoyed supporting students through athletics, clubs, and his dog Bo.  Our condolences are extended to Mr. Satchell’s family and friends during this difficult time. As a sign of respect and honour for his dedication to our school community, our school flag will be lowered to half-mast.

We believe it is important that you know about the deep loss that our school community is experiencing.

All the students who were at school today have been told of Mr. Satchell’s death and the Board’s support personnel and Critical Incident Response Team members have assisted in the process. Social workers are available on-site for students who need to access support.

Parents, guardians, and caregivers can access Tips for adults supporting children and youth after distressing events at https://hwdsb.info/distressing to support your child when talking about the death of a caring adult. Supporting children during this time will greatly assist in their ability to understand and cope with their feelings of grief and loss.

Students can also access support using HWDSB Helps (https://hwdsb.info/HWDSBHelps): Text to 905-963-0066 (Standard rates apply), use the HWDSB Helps app for iOS and Android, or the web chat. In case of emergency, call 911.

Additional supports include:

• COAST Hamilton, 905-972-8338, for crisis outreach and support for all ages
• Kids Help Phone, 1-800-668-6868, for counselling and information service for young people

We all share in the grief and sadness of having lost Mr. Satchell, who was a valued member of our school community.

Sincerely,

Glenn Cooke
Principal

Cc: Superintendent of Schools