FARMINGTON—Superintendent Reid Newey and School Board President John Robison expressed their deepest condolences to the family of Izzy Tichenor at a board workshop on Tuesday. The 10-year-old Foxboro Elementary student took her own life last week.

“We continue to mourn the loss of Izzy,” said Newey. “This is a tragic event for us. It’s tragic losing any student.”

Izzy Tichenor’s mother Brittany said her daughter was autistic and frequently bullied at school. Tichenor alleged she asked for help from the school and district but felt like nothing had been done. 

“Multiple individuals – including school board members, the district’s superintendency, school administrators, school personnel and social workers – have been meeting daily from the time the tragedy transpired,” said Robison. “There are many things we can’t share about our direct interactions with the family because of privacy concerns and professional obligations.”

Generally speaking, extensive resources were provided to the family since enrolling their children, he said. “In fact, the family chose to continue having their children attend our schools after moving outside the district. That was because of the relationship they had with our schools and teachers.”

Robison said they take this tragedy very seriously. “The district is currently establishing an independent team to review the processes we have in place and the allegations that Izzy was racially harassed and discriminated against. Members of that independent team will include an expert in interviewing children about trauma, someone who is an expert in educational practices and someone who is an expert in the law.”

The Tichenor’s family attorney and the family have been made aware of the creation of the team, he said. 

“With every interaction and bullying accusation we do our best to figure out how we can be better at our job to take care of kids so that when they leave us they can have a successful life,” said Newey. “It’s tragic when we lose students along the way.”