MORGAN HILL
– The Paradise Valley Elementary School community is mourning
the loss of one of its students, 10-year-old Daniel Scianna.
MORGAN HILL – The Paradise Valley Elementary School community is mourning the loss of one of its students, 10-year-old Daniel Scianna.
Scianna, a fifth-grader in Carol Ferri’s class, died Sunday night, the victim of an apparently accidental hanging involving his bunk bed.
A California Department of Forestry crew responded to the emergency call and found Scianna’s mother attempting CPR.
According to a CDF official, the captain and crew answering the call took today off and were extremely upset by the incident.
“This is such an unfortunate tragedy,” Paradise Valley Principal James Hamilton said Monday. “This is a very close community, so we are all supporting one another.”
Hamilton said there were three school psychologists on site today, as well as School District Assistant Superintendent Denise Tate and Barrett Elementary Principal Lisa Atlas to help students and staff with their grief.
“We have a number of good people here to help,” he said. “We have set up a sort-of soft room for artwork, conversation and counseling. I have been doing my tour (of the campus), and the students seem to be handling it very well. For some of them, it is not so real, and for some of them, there are very strong feelings.”
Today started with an assembly for the older students.
“We had a meeting with upper-grade students in the morning,” said Hamilton. “We told them they needed to take good care of one another and take care of themselves and let them know counseling would be available. We’re having a very soft day, with lots of recess and lots of writing in journals.”
Scianna’s teacher is upset but attempting to care for her other students who also miss Scianna.
“Carol Ferri is a very strong person,” Hamilton said. “She is close with her students, and we know this is a difficult time for her and for the other students.”
Funeral arrangements were not available at press time.
