Additional support offered at Saskatoon high school following teen’s death

Students at a Saskatoon high school are being offered additional support after the death of one of the school’s students on the weekend.

Police were called at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday with reports of a teenage boy in “medical distress” at a business in the 2300 block of Arlington Avenue.

Paramedics administered life-saving measures to try and revive the teen at the scene but were unsuccessful.

In a letter sent Monday to students of Holy Cross High School and their parents, principal Lisa Hodson said extra supports are available for grieving students.

“Our staff is very sensitive to your child’s needs and possible reaction to the news. If your child is finding this loss difficult and you feel they would benefit from further support at the school, please call us and let us know,” Hodson said in the letter, which didn’t name the student.

A spokesperson for Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools said a tragic events response team — a group comprising counsellors and outreach workers — was called to Holy Cross and will be available as long as it’s needed.

The Saskatoon Police Service’s major crimes unit is investigating the teen’s death.

In the letter, Hodson called for patience as rumours of the events leading to the teen’s death begin to circulate.

“As hard as it is to wait for answers in a situation like this, I ask that we all let the police conduct their investigation and patiently wait for the answers to the many questions we all have,” she wrote.