About 370 Clarion Area High School students returned to school on Monday morning, many of them reeling from the news that their classmate, 14-year-old Paige Harrigan, has died.
“When we got the news, we called our trauma team together and made a game plan so we could make sure that all our kids had services in place,” said Joe Carrico, superintendent for the Clarion Area School District. “We had seven counselors available for our students, our faculty, and staff. We established a safe space for the kids in our guidance office.”
It is believed that Harrigan ran away from her Applewood Valley home on Thursday, November 24. She was missing for 10 days before her body was located near Chestnut Ridge Drive on Saturday, December 3.
An autopsy was performed on Monday afternoon, according to Clarion County Coroner Dan Shingledecker.
The investigation into her death is ongoing.
The school day started with a moment of silence for Harrigan. Then, a grief counselor visited each classroom on Monday morning to see if there was any immediate trauma that needed to be addressed.
“Usually, you don’t see a big response out of the classroom, per se. You’ll see the kids coming up later—when that reality does hit them,” Carrico explained.
Teachers were advised to be on the lookout for any students who were struggling, and they were instructed on how to get their kids help.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 72,000 youth die each year in the United States. Teachers are often on the front line of mental health care for students struggling to cope with loss, but it’s not just the kids who are grieving in the classroom.
“We had extra subs come in today (Monday) for our faculty in case they needed a break,” Carrico added.
Carrico was quick to point out that the community has been reaching out to him, offering their condolences and resources.
“We’re so grateful for the support from our county partners. The local school districts have all been absolutely wonderful,” he said.
“Our biggest wish is that we really want to support the Harrigan family, our students, our faculty, and our school community. We’re very, very grateful for our community’s response.”
