Sad News about Ms. Linda

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Dear Hillcrest Families,

I am writing this letter to share some sad news with you.  On Tuesday, August 14, Ms. Linda Cusack, a Hillcrest staff member, died very unexpectedly.  Our entire Hillcrest community has been shocked and saddened by this news. If your child was a preschool student at Hillcrest, he or she certainly knew Ms. Linda. Ms. Linda joined our preschool staff in 2015 and she was a familiar face to all of our preschoolers.  And, if you dropped your child off at rolling drop-off each morning, you were greeted by Linda’s enthusiastic “Good Morning!” and her warm smile. Linda will be deeply missed by Hillcrest staff, students and families.

Linda was a lifelong learner who was passionate about early childhood education.  Before joining the Hillcrest community, Linda ran a successful family day care for more than thirty years.  And, just a few years ago, Linda completed her Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. Linda shared her love for science and for children’s literature with the students in Ms. Chanda Welles’s classroom for the past three school years.  Linda was always finding the perfect book for a daily read-aloud or for launching a new science experiment. 

If your child knew Ms. Linda, I hope you will find some time to share the news of her death.  Many parents feel uncomfortable talking about death, yet young children are often the most open to discussing this topic.  If you are wondering about how to talk with your child, I have included some advice from Boston Children’s Hospital here:

  • Tell children the truth about the death in simple terms.

  • Use language that they can understand and that is consistent with your family’s communication style.

  • Encourage them to ask questions even if they ask the same question over and over.

  • Answer questions simply and honestly.  

  • Avoid euphemisms such as “passed on” and “passed away,” as these can be confusing.

  • Explain the physical facts of death using accurate and simple terms.  Explain that death means a person’s body is no longer working -- “their heart, brain, lungs are no longer doing their job”.

  • If you do not know the answer to some of their questions, tell them so.  

  • Tell them it’s OK to be sad and to cry. Let them know that adults are sad too.

If your child would like to send a note or a drawing to Ms. Linda’s family, you may drop it off at school and I will forward these along.  When school begins, your child may have questions about Ms. Linda’s absence. Our Hillcrest staff members will answer your child’s questions in an honest and developmentally appropriate manner.  Please be assured that we will be ready to support your children and to offer them the time and space they may need to process this loss.

Please feel free to contact me at sarah.burstein@gmrsd.org with any questions or concerns. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Sarah Burstein, Principal