Pat-Med School District Mourns Loss Of Student To Suicide: Official

MEDFORD, NY — Students and teachers from the Patchogue-Medford School District are mourning the loss of a student who died tragically from suicide on Sunday, school officials said.

Superintendent Donna Jones described the death of Anders Hart, a Medford Elementary School student, as “a tragic passing,” in her letter notifying parents on Tuesday.

Jones could not be immediately reached for comment.

Hart excelled in his studies, at sports, and as a musician, and was seen as a “leader” among his peers who was “active in all aspects of the school’s community,” but while he appeared to be the “optimal student scholar, he also struggled with depression,” Jones wrote in her letter.

“There are no words that can adequately comfort the inconsolable grief that the family is experiencing during this difficult time,” she continued, adding, “However, we have spoken to the family and offered our unwavering support on behalf of the district. The family has expressed their sincerest gratitude to all staff members who continually supported Anders throughout his time at Medford Elementary School.”

She said that it is not only Hart’s family that is grieving, but the teachers, classmates, and Medford school family who will also “struggle with grief and the processing of this tragic event.”

School officials have mobilized a crisis response team to provide assistance and the “most pressing concern” is to offer support to teachers and classmates who are “directly affected, according to Jones. Counselors will be available Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Medford Elementary School.

When students return on Monday, counselors, psychologists, and social workers will be available at all schools to help any students who are struggling because there are “multiple” Hart siblings attending the schools, Jones said.

“Recognizing that no two individuals process loss the same way, and that grief is a process that can take time and often comes in stages, we want all community members to know that we are here to support along the way,” she said, adding, “In Patchogue-Medford, we have strived to ensure that all students find their “go-to” person — an individual in who they can confide, find support, and trust in times of need.”

“As our school community continues to cope with this loss, we know that this connection will be more important than ever,” she said.

Jones concluded, adding that no one in the community should hesitate to reach out for support or guidance.

“Please keep the Hart family, Medford Elementary School, and the entire community in your thoughts and prayers,” she said. “We will get through this together.”

The U.S. Surgeon General warned of an urgent mental health crisis among America's youth.

Mental health services needs will likely increase as COVID-19–related and other stresses continue to plague New York's students, but too many schools' mental health teams are understaffed, with too few services and limited, inconsistent oversight of student mental health education, an audit by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has found.

A statewide survey found the majority of the state's 686 school districts outside of New York City entered the pandemic with mental health teams far short of nationally recommended staff-to-student ratios. Nineteen districts reported having no mental health professional staff at all, while 95 percent of districts did not meet the recommended ratio of one school social worker for every 250 students.

Over half of the districts surveyed fell short of guidelines for the ratio of school psychologists and school counselors per student.

Jeff Edwards contributed additional reporting to this story.