UPDATE 6/21:
A funeral service for Kim Mashhadi is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday, June 23, at Church of the Holy Spirit, 153 South Main St., Gloversville, NY.
Mayfield Central School District will be closed on Thursday to allow members of the Mayfield school community to attend.
The following letter from the superintendent was sent by email to Mayfield families on 6/19:
Dear Mayfield school community,
It is with profound sadness that I am writing to share the news that third-grade teacher Kim Mashhadi passed away suddenly this weekend.
Mrs. Mashhadi was a longstanding and well-respected teacher who touched the lives of everyone around her, students and staff alike. A graduate of Mayfield schools, she was known by her colleagues and her students’ families as a kind-hearted, happy person. Everyone enjoyed being around Mrs. Mashhadi because of the positivity she exuded. She was regarded not only as a great teacher, but a great person.
It is going to take time for our school community to heal from the emptiness we are feeling from this loss. As her MCSD family, we are truly heartbroken over losing this beloved friend and colleague. Our most heartfelt condolences go to her family as they grieve this tragedy.
To help our students during this time of unexpected loss, our counseling team will be available at the elementary school beginning Tuesday.
At home, as you talk to your children, we offer the following resources to help with those difficult conversations:
- Helping Children Cope With Loss, Death, and Grief
(Tips for Teachers and Parents, National Association of School Psychologists) - When a Loved One Dies, How to Help Your Child
(Kids Health) - Children And Grief
(American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)
We don’t have any information about funeral arrangements at this time, but we will be sure to share it with you once it is available. Please reach out to your child’s principal if there is anything further we can do to help support you and your children.
Sincerely,
Christopher M. Harper
Superintendent of Schools