As a new school week begins, the Kenwood Middle School community in Clarksville is returning to classrooms under the shadow of Friday’s tragic bus accident. Educators across Tennessee are holding the Kenwood Middle School community close in our hearts.

Friday’s accident took two young lives and left an entire school community shaken. In the hours that followed, the shock was immediate and overwhelming. Now, as students and educators return to their classrooms, the sadness and weight of what happened still lingers.

For students and educators, this week will include quiet reminders of classmates who should still be there.

“Our hearts are with the Kenwood Middle School families facing an unimaginable loss,” said Tanya T. Coats, president of the Tennessee Education Association. “As this new week begins, we are thinking about the families mourning the loss of their children, the students grieving the loss of their classmates, and the educators helping them navigate that grief with compassion and care. Across Tennessee, educators are surrounding the Clarksville community with support.”

The Tennessee Education Association continues to hold the Kenwood Middle School community and the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System in our thoughts in the days ahead.