The Commercial Appeal
COUNSELORS HELP SCHOOL DEAL WITH ITS GRIEF
Date: May 8, 1993
Section: News
Page: A1
Illustration: photo (2)
Source: John Beifuss The Commercial Appeal
Edition: Final
The memorials erected for three murdered children at Weaver Elementary School on Friday weren't cold marble or granite. These tributes were made by classmates with crayon and construction paper, cut-and-paste paper chains and Valentine's hearts and placed on the desks of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore, the 8-year-old boys whose bodies were discovered Thursday in a bayou just blocks from their school and homes.
"The children were crying and I was crying, and I just told 'em, 'Y'all go ahead and cry,' " said Lila S. Lovely, one of almost 20 guidance counselors, psychologists and mental health experts on hand Friday for the first day of class after the deaths of the three students.
"I told them when someone dies, they're still our friend, they're just not here with us," she said.
"This is the worst tragedy that probably this community has ever faced," said Gary Adams, 43, assistant superintendent for elementary schools for West Memphis Public Schools. "We're going to make the counseling available for as many days as needed."
Sarah Kirkley, principal at the northeast West Memphis school for 19 years, said she wanted the school day to be "as normal as possible."
Nevertheless, when the bell rang about 8 a.m., each teacher started the day by talking with students about the tragedy. And many students who had been walking to school unescorted for years were now chaperoned by concerned parents.
"I just told my son, you're going to have to quit riding your bike, even around the block, unless someone's with you," said Brenda Haycraft, 31, who cried as she hand-delivered sympathy cards to the boys' families Friday.
She was accompanied by her son Ernie, 4, who added: "You don't know. Kids could die."
The school on Barton, which is adjacent to the Moore home, has about 335 students in kindergarten through sixth grade - including only about 44 in second grade like the three boys.
The students are unusually close because almost all of them live in the neighborhood. They play with each other after school as well as studying side by side.
Ramona Taylor, Crittenden County administrator for the Arkansas Department of Health, said nine West Memphis guidance counselors, about five state mental health experts and Dr. William J. Burke, a West Memphis child psychologist, were on the Weaver campus Friday.
"All have had extensive training in grief counseling," she said.
Ironically, the school district just last week completed an extensive crisis plan for counselors, which included sections on divorce, suicide, and "The Death of a Classmate or Teacher."
The plan includes such advice as, "The child's or teacher's desk should not be removed. Leaving it as it was for several days will help to acknowledge the death. Some classrooms have voted to keep the desk through the remainder of the year."
Lovely spoke to the class where Steve and Christopher were students.
"We looked at their desks and looked at their pictures, and put some things on there, and wrote some stories to give to the families."
She said each child in the class had planted a tree seedling in a small Styrofoam cup. The children want to plant the boys' trees outside the school, Lovely said.
"We tried to reassure them and give them a hug," said Lynette Moore, the regular guidance counselor at Weaver.
She said she asked the children to reveal what emotions they felt about the tragedy. Many said sadness and fear.
But, "One little girl said, 'Anger. I'm really angry about this.' "
As the children left the school about 3 p.m., many of them passed a sign outside Second Baptist Church, which read: "Good Friends Are Like Toothpaste - They Come Through in a Tight Squeeze."
Said Rev. Stacy Tommy, 48, church pastor: "Every church in town is praying."
Caption: Photographs By Dave Darnell
(Color) Students leave Weaver Elementary at the end of school Friday. Principal Sarah Kirkley said she wanted the school day to be "as normal as possible."
Christopher Byers's desk is covered with decorations and cards from his classmates and friends.
COUNSELORS HELP SCHOOL DEAL WITH ITS GRIEF
Date: May 8, 1993
Section: News
Page: A1
Illustration: photo (2)
Source: John Beifuss The Commercial Appeal
Edition: Final
The memorials erected for three murdered children at Weaver Elementary School on Friday weren't cold marble or granite. These tributes were made by classmates with crayon and construction paper, cut-and-paste paper chains and Valentine's hearts and placed on the desks of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore, the 8-year-old boys whose bodies were discovered Thursday in a bayou just blocks from their school and homes.
"The children were crying and I was crying, and I just told 'em, 'Y'all go ahead and cry,' " said Lila S. Lovely, one of almost 20 guidance counselors, psychologists and mental health experts on hand Friday for the first day of class after the deaths of the three students.
"I told them when someone dies, they're still our friend, they're just not here with us," she said.
"This is the worst tragedy that probably this community has ever faced," said Gary Adams, 43, assistant superintendent for elementary schools for West Memphis Public Schools. "We're going to make the counseling available for as many days as needed."
Sarah Kirkley, principal at the northeast West Memphis school for 19 years, said she wanted the school day to be "as normal as possible."
Nevertheless, when the bell rang about 8 a.m., each teacher started the day by talking with students about the tragedy. And many students who had been walking to school unescorted for years were now chaperoned by concerned parents.
"I just told my son, you're going to have to quit riding your bike, even around the block, unless someone's with you," said Brenda Haycraft, 31, who cried as she hand-delivered sympathy cards to the boys' families Friday.
She was accompanied by her son Ernie, 4, who added: "You don't know. Kids could die."
The school on Barton, which is adjacent to the Moore home, has about 335 students in kindergarten through sixth grade - including only about 44 in second grade like the three boys.
The students are unusually close because almost all of them live in the neighborhood. They play with each other after school as well as studying side by side.
Ramona Taylor, Crittenden County administrator for the Arkansas Department of Health, said nine West Memphis guidance counselors, about five state mental health experts and Dr. William J. Burke, a West Memphis child psychologist, were on the Weaver campus Friday.
"All have had extensive training in grief counseling," she said.
Ironically, the school district just last week completed an extensive crisis plan for counselors, which included sections on divorce, suicide, and "The Death of a Classmate or Teacher."
The plan includes such advice as, "The child's or teacher's desk should not be removed. Leaving it as it was for several days will help to acknowledge the death. Some classrooms have voted to keep the desk through the remainder of the year."
Lovely spoke to the class where Steve and Christopher were students.
"We looked at their desks and looked at their pictures, and put some things on there, and wrote some stories to give to the families."
She said each child in the class had planted a tree seedling in a small Styrofoam cup. The children want to plant the boys' trees outside the school, Lovely said.
"We tried to reassure them and give them a hug," said Lynette Moore, the regular guidance counselor at Weaver.
She said she asked the children to reveal what emotions they felt about the tragedy. Many said sadness and fear.
But, "One little girl said, 'Anger. I'm really angry about this.' "
As the children left the school about 3 p.m., many of them passed a sign outside Second Baptist Church, which read: "Good Friends Are Like Toothpaste - They Come Through in a Tight Squeeze."
Said Rev. Stacy Tommy, 48, church pastor: "Every church in town is praying."
Caption: Photographs By Dave Darnell
(Color) Students leave Weaver Elementary at the end of school Friday. Principal Sarah Kirkley said she wanted the school day to be "as normal as possible."
Christopher Byers's desk is covered with decorations and cards from his classmates and friends.
