Round Rock Principal Urges Parent Involvement Helping Kids Cope With Grief After Fatal Crash [UPDATED]

ROUND ROCK, TX — The principal of Round Rock High School wrote a letter to parents and guardians on Monday, urging them to reach out to their children dealing with grief over the death of three teens who died in a car wreck over the weekend, including a student at the high school.

Three Round Rock teen girls died early Sunday morning after colliding with a chartered bus carrying members of the Huston-Tillotson University basketball team at SH 71 in Spicewood. The dead were identified as June Mary Smith, 18, who was driving the car at the time of the wreck, and passengers Isabella Torres, 17, Taylor Nicole Mendez, 17.

Patch emailed Corey Ryan, the Round Rock ISD spokesman, to discern if any of the victims had attended schools at the district. He declined to confirm: "We don't have parent permission to release information about specific students," Ryan wrote in his reply.

But in the letter to parents and guardians, Natalie Nichols, principal of Round Rock High School, confirmed one of the students was a student at the school, although she wasn't named in the statement. Through social media, the girls' school affiliation has since been revealed: Torres was a junior at McNeil High School while Mendez was a junior at Round Rock High, according to a GoFundMe page. Smith was a senior at Success High School in Round Rock.

Torres and Mendez were stepsisters, according to information found on social media.

"We are deeply saddened to inform you that one of our students passed away yesterday morning," Nichols wrote on Monday. "We extend our heartfelt sympathy to their family and friends.

See also: Three Round Rock Teens Killed After Colliding With Charter Bus In Spicewood

People often become stoic in the face of death, their emotions steeled by grief inhibiting their expressing their feelings to others. Nichols encouraged parents and guardians to talk to their children about their emotions, and said crisis counselors would also be made available to students to promote healthy dialogue.

"Students and staff will react in different ways to the loss of one of our school community members, some more intense than others," the principal wrote. "Crisis counselors are available to talk with students and will remain on campus as long as they are needed. We encourage you to also talk with your child as it is important for students to express their feelings."

The trauma experienced over the death of a loved one or peer can sometimes reach a level requiring counseling, she noted. She urged parents and guardians to be observant of their children's behavior in the wake of the recent deaths of students in order to help them assimilate their feelings.

"Traumatic events like the loss of a friend or peer can trigger emotional responses that may require counseling support," Nichols wrote. "If your child is exhibiting any of the following signs, please contact a school counselor, administrator, or therapist." The signs:

• Restlessness, nervous behavior
• Trouble concentrating
• Difficulty sleeping, frequent nightmares
• Fear of being alone
• Repeatedly asking questions
• Concentrating on previous losses and events
• Change in eating or sleeping habits
• Loss of interest in activities that he or she previously found pleasure in doing
• Significant changes in grades

"If changes in your child’s behavior or personality concern you, please contact the school at 512-646-6000 to speak with your child’s school counselor," the educator wrote. "We want to make sure every student receives the support and assistance he or she needs to cope with this loss. Please do not hesitate to seek our support. Together we will help and care for one another as we move through this difficult time."

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