Proactive Planning Helps School Deal With Tragedy

 

Immediately after learning of the tragic deaths of sophomore student/athletes Kristy Klaus and Kayden Davis on Friday, April 8th, Lucerne Valley Middle High School and school district administrators put a plan into action to help students deal with the loss.

 

Assistant Superintendent Nate Lambdin, who also serves as LVMHS co-principal with Principal Kelly Boeing, communicated with Superintendent Peter Livingston, elementary school Principal Ricky Anderson, LVMHS counselor Kevin Barda and others. The admin team then contacted the Desert/Mountain SELPA, which offers emergency counseling with its 12-member Crisis Response team. Over the weekend, Lambdin sent out a voice mail message to parents and other stakeholders explaining the situation and the district’s plans to assist students.

 

Despite having all of the pieces in place, the impact felt — and expressed — by the students was immense.  “Our kids really struggled,” Lambdin said during Thursday’s meeting of the district’s Board of Trustees. “Over 100 students asked for immediate help.” Some of the hardest hit students chose to not come to school on Monday, so when they returned to school on Tuesday “it was tough again,” he said. “It’s just been hard.”

 

During the week, Lambdin visited classrooms to check up on students. One sophomore classroom clearly demonstrated the loss: “Their empty seats are there. It’s very hard for the teachers. It’s hard for the students.”

 

Even elementary school students were struck by the loss. “We had some kids who were really struggling,” said LVES Assistant Principal Joanna Mora.

 

The 12-member crisis team proved to be a godsend for Lucerne Valley students and staff. Virtual Academy teacher Cindy Lazenby, who has been with the school district for several decades, remembers when an untimely death happened in the district years ago but there was no crisis team to help mend the emotional wounds. The result was the school community had to deal with the crushing news on their own. “I’m really thankful we have a crisis team now."

 

Board member Tom Courtney shared a memory when he was a 19-year-old U.S. Navy sailor on an aircraft carrier off the coast of Vietnam.  On May 4, 1969 he got word that his best friend had been killed in action in Vietnam. There was no one for Courtney to talk to. The recent tragedy brought back that memory and also gratitude of how the district has handled the recent losses.

 

“We are a model district,” said Courtney, alluding the district motto. “And that way we’re handling it now is a model way of handling it.”

 

During his monthly presentation to the school board, senior Landon Lindner said the ASB is looking at several options for honoring Kayden and Kristy.  Following the ASB report, Lambdin said the school administration would be working with the ASB on developing a memorial for Kristy and Kayden. “We’re certainly going to honor these kids in an appropriate way.”

 

Lambdin, who has held it together emotionally “because I had to,” said that through the tragedy he has seen the school come together and help one another. “We have a great staff. People are good. You see the goodness in people. Keep the kids in our prayers. That’s all we can do.”

 

Superintendent Livingston added, “We’re moving forward. We’re not moving through it, but we’re moving forward.”

 

According to the California Highway Patrol, Kayden and Kristy were passengers in a Honda CR-V driven by Kristy’s grandmother, Christy Rees, a school district food service staff member. As their vehicle was heading east on State Route 247, a Ford Expedition driven by a man later identified as Jesus Gallardo Martin, was traveling southbound on Camp Rock Road. The driver of the Expedition failed to stop at the stop sign and collided with the left side of the Honda, causing it to overturn into an open desert area. Both girls were pronounced dead at the scene, the reported stated.

 

Rees sustained major injuries and is recovering at an area hospital. The driver of the other vehicle was flown via Mercy air to Loma Linda University Medical Center and was placed under arrest for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two other under the influence charges. He remains in custody while he is being treated for his injuries.