Blake Middle School Teacher Collapses, Dies Monday

Kenneth Brackett, a Blake Middle School physical education/wellness teacher and Ashland resident, passed away Monday after a brief illness, according to Superintendent of Schools, Bob Maguire.

“He had just come down with what appeared to be a mild illness over the weekend and he had called in sick [Monday] and was at home,” said Maguire. “It appeared to be something that wasn’t being viewed as a life-threatening illness. He just wasn’t feeling well. Then during the day, he collapsed and died, pretty sudden.”

Maguire said it’s a “pretty difficult time for the school” and for Brackett’s family, who informed Blake Middle School principal Robert Parga of the teacher's death Monday afternoon. Parga notified parents of the tragic news through an e-mail that was sent out around 3:30 p.m. Monday, according to Maguire.

“Parents at home [were] advised via e-mail so hopefully conversations are taking place in individual homes,” Maguire said. “We will have a counseling staff in the middle school as well as from the high school available [Tuesday] to support any staff as well as students that may be struggling to deal with this really sudden and tragic loss.”

Brackett had been with the Medfield School District since 1998 as a wellness and physical education teacher and was a key contributor to the Medfield High School varsity basketball program as an assistant coach.

“[Brackett was] very well respected amongst his colleagues and by everybody,” Maguire said. “He had been very involved in our basketball program and was a real expert on basketball and basketball strategy and lived that as a big part of his life. He was very integral in the success of our basketball program for a good number of years and was a huge asset to that program and I’m sure those kids are really reeling and devastated. [Basketball] was a special passion in his life.”

 Maguire said the school department is managing the tragedy with staff, students and parents through a crisis team that was “comprised from the middle school and high school” that met Monday.

“[The crisis group] talked through the types of steps we need to take to try and support everyone, including [Brackett’s] family,” said Maguire.

Maguire explained the plan is to allow kids to meet in small groups with adults who are prepared to have conversations with students and answer questions about the sudden loss of Brackett and “to identify anybody that appears to need additional support.” The groups will be made up of middle school and high school counseling staff.

Maguire said a lot of people reached out to Brackett’s family Monday and that the school department offered its condolences and support to his family as well.

“It’s a terrible, sudden, tragic loss and it puts all of life’s problems into perspective,” Maguire said. “We need to get through here as a faculty and as a community.”