Full Notification

West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District Release:


Dear Parents/Guardians:

It is with a heavy heart, and with the permission of the family, that I share with you that Alex Wolohan, an eighth grader at Grover Middle School, passed away on Friday evening. The district and the community extends our heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends. During this time, I ask that we respect the family’s wishes for time to process this tragedy and to respect their time as a family to grieve.

School counselors, members of the Traumatic Loss Coalition, and staff from Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care will be available at Grover Middle School on Sunday, November 6th from 1:00 – 4:00. Students should arrive through the GMS main entrance. Counseling services will take place in the cafeteria.

As expected, many adolescents and members of our community have been impacted (either directly or indirectly). School counselors, case managers, staff from Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and members of the Mercer County Traumatic Loss Coalition will also be available throughout the day on Monday at Grover Middle School to assist students. If you feel that your child is having difficulty coping with this event, please let us know as soon as possible. As always, our counselors will remain accessible to the entire student body, and with the help of our faculty, attempt to identify any students who may be having ongoing difficulties.

As parents and educators, the death of a student presents us with many questions and can leave us in a vulnerable position of not knowing how to answer our children’s questions. It is understandable that we would all search for answers to process this unspeakable tragedy. In the absence of answers, individuals can sometimes fill the void by ascribing their own fact patterns in an effort to make meaning of this loss. When rumors circulate and mistruths propagate, it hurts the healing process and is unhealthy to our students. We ask our community to honor the wishes of the family and their privacy.

Please keep in mind that any traumatic event can trigger an emotional reaction, even to an unrelated event (family illness, prior losses, etc.). Resources can be found on the district website.

Please hold the Wolohan family in your hearts.

Sincerely,

David Aderhold, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Trauma and Grief Resources:

How to Help a Grieving Teen
Books for Children Dealing with Loss or Trauma
After the Trauma - Helping a Child Cope Addressing Grief
Good Grief Resource Site