Forecast: Gloomy

One of the students from my current school was killed in a car accident early this morning. I don't think I met him, but from what I heard he was a very nice boy who was due to graduate either this term or next term (this term ends in two weeks). Grief has settled over the building and class sizes are smaller than usual. As a teacher, I know I have to do my best to keep a strong facade for the students. It's easy because I didn't know the boy, but grief is contagious. For the students who did know him I can imagine it's hard for them to even be here. We're supposed to start filming our movie later today and I think one of the students was very close to the recently deceased. We need to move on with the lesson, but will the students be receptive? How will they handle making a horror movie? Last week death seemed so far away that it was easy to laugh and joke about it. Now, we have all been reminded of how fast everything can end. It would be good to teach the students to let go, but it's so fresh people are still talking about him in the present tense. How do I pull the students forward without rushing them or feeling insensitive? This week will be a trial for me, but more of a trial for the students. Usually my response to other's grief is silence. I'd rather not say anything than say the wrong thing, but I'll need to say something to get my class moving on the unit since I only have 6 days.