Grief counselors on hand to comfort Lexington high school students over teacher’s death

Grief counselors have been made available to students at Lexington’s Frederick Douglass High School following the Saturday death of a teacher.

Principal Lester Diaz told families in a Sept. 29 email that teacher John Hershinow passed away.

“Mr. Hershinow will be deeply missed throughout the Frederick Douglass High community,” Diaz said.

Even though the district is on fall break this week, grief counselors were on the Douglass campus Monday.

“Additional counselors from the district will continue to be available for as long as they are needed for support. We will also have counselors available on Monday, October 7 when we return from Fall Break,” said the email.“When talking with students, please ask them about their feelings and do not be afraid to share your feelings, too..”

Diaz did not include a cause of death in his email.

Hershinow was a science teacher, according to the school’s website.

John Henry Hershinow ‘s obituary on the Milward Funeral Directors website said he earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Kentucky Wesleyan University and his Master’s Degree from The University of the Cumberlands.

He ‘loved teaching Advanced Biology to many classes of students. He truly enjoyed his family, fishing, UK Athletics, playing sports with his friends, and studying the Bible,: the obituary said.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, October 4th at First United Methodist Church Winchester, 204 S. Main Street. This will be followed by visitation and a Celebration of Life at Spindletop Hall, 3414 Iron Works Pike, Lexington, from 1 to 4 p.m. A private burial will be held for the family, the obituary said,

In lieu of flowers, the obituary suggests a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or The Kentucky United Methodist Children’s Homes.

This story was originally published October 1, 2024 at 3:12 PM.