Spring-Ford Mourns Suicide Of 9th Grader

ROYERSFORD, PA -- The Spring-Ford School District and the surrounding community is in mourning days after the passing of a ninth grade student who took her own life. Numerous media outlets have suggested that the incident, which occurred last Friday, may have been sparked by online bullying.

The student's passing also galvanized the Spring-Ford community into action, as $47,000 had already been raised for the family as of early Tuesday morning.

Spring-Ford Superintendent David Goodin said that while classes are continuing as scheduled, school counselors are being provided for students, and a variety of grief counseling literature has been made available.

"This loss has been felt throughout the entire Spring-Ford community, and we ask that you support all of our students and families as we continue cope with this tragedy," Goodin said Monday afternoon.

The fundraiser has been launched through GoFundMe and has been shared more than 7,000 times. To learn more and to donate, see here.

A candlelight vigil for the victim, organized by students, will be held at Christ's Church By The Valley on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The church is located on 1560 Yeager Road in Royersford.

Funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

In a statement Wednesday, Goodin urged parents to speak to their children about social media and to monitor their usage.

"Social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter are rapidly becoming a primary means of communication for people of all ages, especially youth. I encourage you to monitor the relevant social media sites, and to be thoughtful as you speak with your children about their use of social media," Goodin said.

The district held a "Family Tech Talk Night" addressing these issues in January. Information from the event can be found here.

Spring-Ford has also established a "Friend Watch" to help students watch out for one another. The link takes students to a form - where they can remain anonymous - and report the name and situation of another individual whom they believe to be in need of help.

Authorities are investigating the student's death.

Note: if you or someone you know is in need of immediate help, please call the 24 hour Montgomery County Children's Crisis Support Line at 1-888-435-7414. You may also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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