Crisis team at school after Washington Park drive-by shooting kills middle school student
East St. Louis District 189 is making grief support available to students and staff members after a drive-by shooting in Washington Park killed a middle school student.
Mason Clark Middle School student Johnny McCline, 13, died in the weekend shooting.
Three other teenagers who had been walking with him Saturday afternoon at 45th Street and Bunkum Road were wounded by the gunfire. They are also students in District 189, according to Superintendent Arthur Culver.
Culver shared a statement with families on Monday morning announcing the counseling help students could receive this week and beyond if they needed it.
He said the District Crisis Team would be onsite this week. The team is composed of social workers, nurses, school psychologists and school counselors, the district’s website states.
Students can also continue getting help with trauma from School Social Emotional Learning Teams.
Culver said families can ask for additional support for a student by reaching out to a teacher or administrator.
In a crisis, families can use the district’s SpeakUp189 to report their concerns by emailing speakup@estl189.com or by calling or texting 618-515-2165. The program is available for reporting students in crisis, as well as bullying, planned fights or weapons at school.
This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 1:35 PM.
