Richardson ISD announced on Monday that a student and a staff member died from COVID-19 complications. The student was identified as Sha’Niyah “Nienie” McGee, a junior at Berkner High School. The teacher was identified as Eroletta Piasczyk, a teacher at Christa McAuliffe Learning Center, a disciplinary alternative school in Richardson, ISD.
McGee and Piasczyk both died last week, Superintendent Jeannie Stone announced. “All of us at the Richardson Independent School District are deeply saddened by this loss and want you to know that we are here to help you in any way we can,” she said in a message to families in the district.
At a board meeting on Monday evening, Richardson trustees observed a moment of silence in honor of McGee and Piasczyk. “We are saddened with two tragic losses this past week due to COVID-19 complications,” Superintendent Stone told the crowd assembled.
Stone described McGee as kind and respectful. She also said that the deceased student was a “valued member of the Berkner High School family.” According to the district superintendent, the 16-year-old was a peer mediator at the campus.
Piasczyk was described as a “compassionate, gracious and educated educator.” According to Stone, she had worked in Richardson ISD for twenty years, nineteen of which she spent as an educator at Christa McAuliffe Learning Center.
Richardson ISD has reported more than 1,100 COVID cases among students since August. The district has also recorded more than 200 cases among employees. According to RISD’s most updated report on Oct. 1, Berkner had ten active cases of COVID while McAuliffe Learning Center had none.