OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — The Osceola County school district had counselors on hand Monday at a school just a few blocks from where two Kissimmee officers were shot and killed.
Sgt. Sam Howard’s wife works at Central Avenue Elementary School.
The news of his death hit particularly close to home.
“There’s so much hurt, you just want to take some sort of actions,” said Principal Sharon Hahn.
Hahn and teachers put a message on the school’s fence that says, “We Love KPD,” and students spent part of the day wrapping blue ribbons around it.
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The school wanted to show support after the deaths of Officer Matthew Baxter and Howard, who police said were shot and killed during a confrontation with suspect Everett Miller.
Seven counselors were on hand to talk to students.
Many of the children live near Palmway and Cypress streets, where the officers were shot.
“We just want them to know that if they’re worried or if they’re scared, they have somebody to talk to,” said Hahn.
School officials said counselors give confused students the facts, in terms they can understand.
“They understand what happened,” said school psychologist Dean Johnston.
There’s also help on hand for teachers.
“The kids are doing much better than the adults. They are very resilient,” said Hahn.
School counselors said grief doesn’t always strike immediately, so they want parents to watch out for changes in their children’s sleep and mood.
The district said it also had counselors at other schools near the crime scene and where the officers’ children attend school.
Cox Media Group
