CLICK HERE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOFUNDME FOR CARRIE TALCOTT
Dear Compass Families,
We are incredibly sad to share with you that our high school program director, Carrie Talcott, will not be returning to Compass this school year.
As you may know, Carrie overcame breast cancer ten years ago. Unfortunately the cancer has returned, and she has been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. She has chosen to take leave in order to focus on her health and her family.
This morning, we are sharing this information with our high school students. We have additional mental health staff available at our school for student support, and all students and staff will have access to this extra support throughout the school day.
Please talk with your student about this unexpected news over the next several weeks. As our high school Program Director and Advisor for twenty years, Carrie is an integral part of our community, has a big presence, and is well-loved by many staff and students. We also want to acknowledge that not every student will be impacted by this news. It is completely healthy and developmentally appropriate for your student to be ok and not want to talk about it. I have attached some information that may help with the conversation about supporting your child through grief and loss. Dougy Center-How to Help a Grieving Teen and Tips for Teens Who Are Grieving.
Students often have questions about cancer, and this can directly impact students who have a previous connection to death and loss. If your student is struggling with grief and needs extra support immediately, please contact either the Jefferson Center for Mental Health 303-425-0300, or the Colorado Crisis Services hotline 1-844-493-8255.
If your child is struggling with any of this information, do not hesitate to reach out to the school so we may continue to support our entire community during this difficult time. Please call 303-271-1977 anytime with questions, or email Micaela Johnson, High School Mental Health Provider, at [email protected].
If you are interested in supporting Carrie through this process please know that we are working on assisting with house cleaning and dog walking. At this time, these feel the most supportive, and we’ll share other supportive opportunities if they arise.
Right now Carrie needs privacy and rest, so please DO NOT reach out with emails and cards and gifts. We will let you know how and when to connect with Carrie when she is ready.
Lastly, you may have questions about academic coverage for the remainder of the year. Please know that the high school team is working on pivoting so that all students are covered, and they will be sharing information with you as it becomes official.
We thank you so much for being a part of our amazing school community. Please continue to be there for one another, and help us foster a supportive environment for everyone during this time.
Sincerely,
Dr. Cameron Gehlen