Effingham Unit 40 Issues Statement on Death of Willow Long

Effingham Unit 40 Superintendent Mark Doan issued a statement Tuesday afternoon regarding the death of Willow Long, a student at South Side Grade School in Effingham.

The statement reads, "The entire unit #40 family is extremely saddened by the passing of South Side School student, Willow Long. We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers for Willow.

The safety and social well-being of our students is a priority at Unit #40. We implemented our Crisis Intervention Team beginning Monday, September 9th at all elementary schools in the District. We will continue with these team members in place to support both our students and staff for the foreseeable future. 

 For many of our students school provides a routine they appreciate. Therefore, the District is trying to provide a sense of normalcy, but also allowing students to share their feelings in a safe and supporting environment. The District feels that the understanding of the issues and the grief process is best addressed in the home by parents." 

Superintendent Mark Doan stated, "The outpouring of support and help during this event was overwhelming. It is truly a blessing to live in a community and area that can come together for a common purpose. We continue to ask for everyone's prayers for Willow, her family, classmates and teachers as we move forward."

The statement also included a packet for parents, to help at home during the grieving process. You can download that packet in PDF for by clicking here.