Letter From Principal William Day About the Loss of Mr. B.

Dear Mayfair Families,

It is with immense grief that I share an update about one of our beloved Mayfair staff members. As you may have heard on the news, Bilal Henry, “Mr. B”, was tragically killed yesterday. He has been a climate staff member here at Mayfair since 2018. Mr. B has supported our younger students and our Socialized Recess where he played basketball and taught the lessons on fairness and having fun while playing. He will be deeply missed and our condolences go out to his children, family, students, our staff and entire school community.

Ours is a tight-knit community, and I know this is difficult news to receive. Death is rarely something that is easy to accept, especially when it involves a young person and particularly during these times as our city grapples with heightened gun violence.

To best support our scholars and families, the School District of Philadelphia’s Emergency Crisis Tesponse team from the Office of Prevention and Intervention will be onsite in the new year as needed to provide support, which includes bringing mental health professionals to work with students and staff as needed as they grieve and process this tragic loss. Our counselors will also be available as needed as we move forward. We know that this information may be sad and confusing for many of our students, but I know that we will come together as a community to support one another during this time of unimaginable grief.

In addition, we encourage you to speak with your child(ren) so that they may share with you any feelings that they may be experiencing in the days ahead. If you believe there is a need for additional support, please reach out to the Main Office and we will work to ensure your child’s needs are properly addressed. You can also call or text 1-833-PHL-HOPE (1-833-745-4673) for free support and information. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 support for individuals experiencing mental health crisis or any other kind of emotional distress.

Please do not hesitate to call me at 215-400-3280 if you have any questions or information that you would like to share.

Sincerely,

William Day Principal