By Patric Hedlund

Teachers trained in crisis intervention took immediate coordinated action last week at Frazier Mountain High School to search for a student they were told was emotionally distraught, who had expressed suicidal intent.

Their quick action may have prevented a tragedy. The student was found on the roof of the building, threatening to jump. Teachers Tim Garcia, Sue Brown and Karen Maxwell worked together to get him down safely.

Brown, who is also a counselor, said in an interview that three counselors were available at the school the next day to help students process what had happened. Many wanted to know how to be supportive to friends in emotional distress, she said.

“The advantage of this school is that if there is a student in distress, someone will notice, or the kids will come and tell us,” Brown said.

“What my heart says is that every kid here has someone who they know cares about them. That is the beauty of this place. That is the advantage of being small.”

This is part of the February 17, 2012 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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