The school is in mourning...

We learned late last evening of the untimely death of a former student Abner Almeida, the son of Merari and Jose Carlos, PACA’s transportation colleagues, in a motorcycle accident in São Paulo.

TO: All Parents of PACA Students (PK-12) There is significant sadness on the PACA campus this morning. We learned late last evening of the untimely death of a former student Abner Almeida, the son of Merari and Jose Carlos, PACA’s transportation colleagues, in a motorcycle accident in São Paulo. Abner had been enrolled for several years at PACA, but left after his sophomore year in 2020. He would have been a member of the current senior class. Early this morning, the Leadership Team (LT) assembled to implement the Crisis Management Plan we have adopted. We have met with each high school class as well as the faculty and support staff Not only is the senior class in a state of shock and/or disbelief – other students in the high school are also feeling the impact of Abner’s sudden passing, not to mention our faculty and staff. Of course, all of us know Merari and José and their loving staff who serve PACA students so safely on the streets and avenues of São Paulo. Let’s be unified in prayer for their family as well as all PACA staff and students. PACA has suspended today’s semester exam schedule for Grades 10-12, as well as all athletics practices both today and tomorrow (Friday Dec. 10). Mr. Stockment has revised the Gr. 10-12 exam schedule for Friday-Monday and will share it shortly in a message to high school students and parents. Mrs. Luana Sousa (School Psychologist), Mr. Silvano Kubo (Campus Pastor) and Mr. Stockment (Principal) have met with homeroom teachers and are currently meeting with students in the auditorium to provide general grief counseling. Other pastoral counseling is also available on campus. For all seniors, especially those who are not on campus due to having an exam exemption, Mrs. Kuhnast is available today by WhatsApp from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm and after 5:00 pm. We are allowing students in Grades 10-12 to arrange to go home as soon as possible. They may also stay on campus, as well, and await their bus’s departure at 3:30 pm. If the parent agrees the student will return home earlier than 3:30 pm, please follow one of two courses of action: Call the school office and state the time the parent will pick up the student (Gr. 10-12 only), or Call the school office to provide permission for the student to take other transportation (e.g., taxi, Uber). To inform PACA of either of the above arrangements, please use one of these phone numbers: Front Desk (Katia Villa): 5929.5000 or 5929.5001 High School Office (Vanusa Abreu):        5929-9515 Condolence cards or other written messages may be left at the reception desk today and tomorrow, and PACA will deliver them to the family. I am deeply grateful for our faculty and staff and leaders and others for the care they have provided our grieving students already this morning. An update will be included in my December Head-to-Heart message tomorrow. With gratitude for your prayers for the Almeida family, John Nelson, Superintendent ‌ ‌ ‌