Keegan Swinney

Letter from Principal Kathy Holliman

Dear Parents:

It is with great sadness that I am informing you that Keegan Swinney, a 5 th grade student, passed away on Tuesday, November 29 th. Keegan passed away after suffering injuries from a pellet gun incident.

The death of a friend is very difficult for everyone. Even students who did not know Keegan may experience difficulty in coping with the concept of the finality of death. Your child may want to talk about this tragedy and may have difficulty doing so. It would be appropriate for you to raise the subject. Some parents may find that their children experience noticeable reactions for a while, such as crying, periods of quietness, or difficulty sleeping. If this behavior persists, we suggest that you contact our school counselor or me. Our school counselor, Ms. Paterson, and other district support staff are helping us to provide the support that we need to assist our students. Ms. Paterson will work with individual students as needed.

There are resources available for parents to review prior to talking with children about incidents such as this. These resources can be found by going to the district website: www.buckeyeusd.org and clicking on the link on the home page “Information Regarding Death of Silva Valley Student”. This link will be updated frequently in the future.

We are not yet aware of information regarding services for Keegan, but will make that information available when we have it. There has been an account set up to support the Swinney family financially. Family or community members can visit any American River Bank to make a deposit to the Swinney Family Fund or mail checks to:

American River Bank 1545 River Park Drive, Ste. 107 Sacramento, CA 95815

Our sadness as a result of this tragic loss is a reminder that each child is a precious gift. Our hearts go out the Swinney family.

Sincerely,