By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — It is a telephone call Buckeye Schools Superintendent Nancy Williams hates to make.
Williams called local school districts Sunday to ask for help and the loan of grief counselors in the wake of an Edgewood Senior High School student’s sudden death Saturday.
Melanie Moretti, 15, died Saturday evening when a hit-and-run driver struck and killed her as she was walking down Fargo Street with a friend, said Sgt. Mike Lloyd of the Ohio Highway Patrol.
Moretti was declared dead at the scene when a vehicle apparently struck her as she walked with a teen boy, Lloyd said.
Williams said a crisis intervention team met Sunday to discuss the situation and counselors from other districts will meet this morning at Edgewood High School to help students and staff cope with Melanie’s death.
“We want to be sure we have the resources to meet the needs of the students and the staff at the high school,” Williams said. “We will have some substitute teachers come in to give the staff support.”
Williams said the teachers and counselors will “give the students factual information” about Melanie’s death.
Ashtabula Area City Schools Superintendent Joe Donatone said the districts gladly share support resources.
“The districts always help and support each other in times of crisis,” he said. “Ashtabula schools have a well-established grief and crisis intervention team. They are very good at what they do and we are always happy to help other districts as well.”
Williams described Moretti as “a good student and a pretty quiet kid.” Moretti also ran on the Edgewood High School girls cross country team and sang in the women’s chorus, she said.
Melanie’s family declined comment.
