Neptune Beach Elementary paraprofessional passes away from COVID-19

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jeanne Martin, a paraprofessional at Neptune Beach Elementary, has passed away from COVID-19, according to School Board Member Elizabeth Anderson.

“I’m sad to report that we have lost more members of the DCPS family. Ms. Martin was a beloved Paraprofessional at Neptune Beach Elementary who passed away from COVID, and a student at Twin Lakes has passed away from MIS-C, an illness thought to be COVID related,” Anderson wrote on Facebook Wednesday morning.

According to Duval County School District, Martin has been an employee with the district and the school for a little more than a year. She started back in August 2019.

An email was sent out to families at Neptune Beach Elementary:

The Neptune Beach Elementary school community is saddened by the recent passing of one of our faculty members. Our sympathies go out to family, friends, and our entire school community during this difficult time.

We would like to inform you of the steps that we are taking to assist grieving students and staff. Specially-trained school counselors and social workers were on-site and available to students and staff to encourage happy remembrances and discuss reactions to this death. Additional support will be made available to students and staff as needed. If you do not wish for your child to participate in these discussions, please contact us informing of your wishes.

Students, in particular, may be affected by this tragedy, even if they did not personally know the teacher. School psychologists report that children usually go through the same stages of grief that adults do; however, they do not follow a specific pattern or order. Children may be shocked, numb, emotional, angry, guilty, depressed, or disorganized. These reactions are normal and with support, acceptance, encouragement, and guidance, they will begin to understand and deal with their feelings. As a result, we encourage you to talk to your children.

Again, if you would prefer that your child not talk about the tragedy or participate in any of the ongoing grief counseling activities, please contact us at (904) 247-5954. As an additional resource, we have provided students the option to contact their parents and guardians during the school day as needed. Your child is important to our school community and we want to do what you deem best for him or her.

—  Principal Elizabeth Kavanagh

This is the second DCPS teacher who has passed away from COVID-19 in two weeks. The first was Deborah Menendez-Holloway, 51, a teacher at Arlington Elementary School. She passed away on January 13. On Saturday, an 8-year-old girl, died of multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) - a complication of COVID-19 in children. Her name was Deaurra Nealy and she was a second-grader at Twin Lakes Academy Elementary.

Cox Media Group