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North Scott classrooms coping with loss

It’s been a tough year for students and staff in the North Scott School District, after losing two of its elementary school teachers in the last seven mon...

It's been a tough year for students and staff in the North Scott School District, after losing two of its elementary school teachers in the last seven months.

Diana Wenndt, a third grade teacher at Alan Shepard Elementary School, died in July 2014 after battling a long illness. Then in February 2015, Linda Steffen, a fourth grade teacher at Grissom Elementary School, passed away suddenly.

Wenndt taught in the North Scott School District for 13 years, Steffen had been a teacher in the district since 2007.

Joe Stutting, North Scott School District Superintendent, said the district brings in guidance counselors to all the classrooms to explain what happened and offer support. After that, the counselors are available on an individual basis for anyone who needs extra support.

"The initial response is to try to provide as much support as we can for our students and our staff on that first day and then our attempt is to get back to a normal procedure as quickly as possible," Stutting said.

"Every kid is different, every family has experienced different tragedies in their lives and some haven't experienced any tragedy," said Stutting. "We try to get them back into a normal routine to help them cope with it and not have any disruptions. We know that getting back into a normal routine helps kids."

Stutting said they also have an employee assistance program that offers support for any of the staff at in the North Scott School District.

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