Dear Mansfield High School Wolverines Family,
We inform you with great sadness that Mansfield High School has lost a beloved staff member. Coach Marvin Cooper Jr., our Assistant Football Coach and Para Professional, passed away on Friday, September 27th.
Coach Cooper was a warm, sensitive person who cared about his role in your child’s education. The staff and students are deeply affected by his passing, and we will miss him very much. We extend our sympathies to his family during this difficult time.
We elicited the help of the district’s Crisis/Wellness Intervention Team, who have been available all day to assist students who need to talk. Counselors will be on site for the remainder of the day to continue to offer their services to your child.
We recognize that a death of an adult in your child’s life, especially one he or she may see everyday, may evoke certain reactions. You may find that your child expresses concern about your own health and safety, or even demonstrates behavioral signs of grief such as crying, fatigue, depression and anxiety. It is important to listen to your child, and encourage them to share their feelings if they are having difficulty coping with the loss. As the days pass and your child feels like they need further support, they may reach out to their school’s wellness counselor. We are here to support your child and their social-emotional needs through this grieving process.
We have been granted permission by Coach Cooper’s family for the Mansfield Wolverines Football Team to move forward with playing tonight’s scheduled game against Lake Charles in Coach Cooper’s honor.
Please continue to keep Coach Cooper’s family in your prayers during this time.
If you need additional guidance of supporting your teen through the grieving process, please feel free to refer to this Teens With Grief Tips Sheet.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12TMbnHLdW85kRJebQ8zVlFIxi6psXJ87/view?usp=sharing