Fort Braden program director dies after COVID-19 battle, 2nd at school lost to the coronavirus

The manager of an after-school program at Fort Braden School died after a battle with COVID-19, becoming the second employee to succumb to the coronavirus.

Fort Braden School Principal Jimbo Jackson informed teachers and staff of the death of Karen Bradwell in an email this morning. Bradwell, who managed the Pioneers After-school Mentoring Program, died Saturday. 

Jackson said Bradwell, 53, served at the school alongside him for 25-plus years.

"She was a solid rock in our school community as our after-school director," Jackson wrote. "More importantly, she was a devoted and loving mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, godmother, and mentor to hundreds of students over many years."

Her death came a week after a fellow employee at the school, Jordan Byrd, 19, died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Jordan was a custodian at Fort Braden School, where he also attended as a child, and was working his way through college.

Back Story:

• 'A new angel': Young TCC student, Fort Braden School custodian dies after COVID-19 battle
• Jimbo Jackson pays tribute to Fort Braden School custodian who died of COVID-19
• Teachers at Fort Braden School express fears after Jordan Byrd's death from COVID-19

Byrd and Bradwell had a loved one in common: Kacyn Black, who was dating Byrd and is Bradwell's daughter. Black posted about their deaths this morning on Facebook.

"To those of you who are wondering how I am being so strong, so calm, so positive about all of this ... between my mom and my boyfriend passing, here’s my secret. I have spent many days and nights PRAYING," she wrote on Facebook. "God has been my shield 110%. I am at PEACE knowing my loved ones are no longer in pain. They are okay, so with that, I am okay."

She thanked her loved ones for support and added the hashtags "#karenandjordan" and "#knowtheirnames." 

Superintendent Rocky Hanna expressed sadness over the loss of another beloved Fort Braden staff member.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Bradwell family for their tragic loss," he said. "Balancing the need for our children to be back in school with the need to keep our staff members safe is what keeps me up at night. Sometimes I feel like we’re trying to manage and control the uncontrollable.”

The deaths prompted Jackson, who also serves as a Leon County commissioner, to announce he can't support the physical reopening of classrooms — a step the state of Florida has mandated. Jackson and several family members are recovering themselves after testing positive for COVID-19.

"With great respect to our governor and state leaders, I have to look into the eyes of my school family of students and teachers and say I cannot guarantee your safety in this environment," Jackson said in his email. "That is a tremendous responsibility and makes me wonder who’s next? I cannot sit idly by and wait to mourn with another family."

Earlier this month,Jackson announced that he and his wife, Beth Jackson, principal at Hawk's Rise Elementary School, and his brother, all tested positive for the illness. All three are said to be making a slow but steady recovery.

Recent reports from the State Medical Examiner's Office in Tallahassee said more than one member of Byrd's family tested positive. Teachers were told at least six employees at the school tested positive, although the district has not confirmed that.

Kesha Baker-Harris, whose sons went to Fort Braden School, paid tribute Sunday to Bradwell on her Facebook page. She said Bradwell taught her sons math and "was the one person who didn't mind stepping on those Harris Boys' toes."

"Yesterday some of our hearts were shattered into a million pieces all over again," she said. "I just want her daughter Kacyn to know that her mom will forever have a place in our hearts. Please keep my Fort Braden School Family and Bradwell Family in your prayers as we celebrate our two heaven picked heroes."

The deaths at Fort Braden School come as Leon County Schools officials continue planning for — and possibly delaying — the start of school. Last week, Hanna and School Board members agonized over how to safely reopen schools in the middle of a pandemic even as cases rise in Florida.

Hanna, during a meeting of the Re-Open Schools Task Force, recommended pushing the start of school a second time – from Aug. 19 to Aug. 24. With teachers set to return Aug. 10, Hanna said the delay would give them a full two weeks to plan and prepare for returning students.

Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran recently ordered districts to physically reopen school sites at least five days a week for in-person instruction. Gov. Ron DeSantis last week said parents should have the option of sending their kids back to school sites or letting them learn through virtual classrooms.

The impending reopening has left many teachers terrified that it will only hasten the spread of the coronavirus. Many have called on the School Board to keep brick-and-mortar facilities shuttered.

Bradwell's program at Fort Braden, also known as P.A.M.P., offers "an academically, socially and culturally rich environment to help children grow and extend their learning experience, while providing safety and guidance," according to the school's website.

Back story:

• Opinions from teachers on returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic
• A tale of two surveys: A school-by-school breakdown of teachers' fears and parents' choices

But the program, along with all in-school and after-school programs in the district, ceased operations in mid-March, when the district shut down. Jackson said Bradwell had not been on campus regularly since then.

"The impact on our school community is no less though," Jackson wrote. "It is clear that this virus is not contained by a single site or school but affects the whole community. School leaders all over the nation are faced with this risk."

PRINCIPAL JACKSON'S EMAIL:

Faculty and staff,

Sadly, I’m reaching out to you today to inform you of the passing of Karen Bradwell, our after-school director at Fort Braden. Karen and I (and several of you) have worked together at Fort Braden School for 25+ years. She was a solid rock in our school community as our after-school director. More importantly, she was a devoted and loving mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, godmother, and mentor to hundreds of students over many years. Cynthia Bradwell, our Building Supervisor, is her sister but also her closest friend. Not surprisingly, Karen’s children followed her path into serving others as their life’s work. Her family’s commitment to our community is unquestioned. She will be terribly missed by all who knew her and her incredibly positive attitude regardless of the situation. Karen was 53.

Where do we go from here?

I find myself extending my condolences to both the Jordan Byrd and Karen Bradwell families. As you can imagine, they are all suffering through real and painful loss. Nothing I say here will replace the loss of these incredible people who have impacted so many lives in our school community and beyond. I have felt and seen firsthand the effects of this deadly virus as these families grieve the loss of our loved ones gone much too soon. I have no words that can comfort the families experiencing the sudden passing of their loved one. I know this feeling all too well.

Each day for 28 years, I have gone to work at Fort Braden School. In that time, I have served thousands of children and families. Our number one job in schools each day is safety. It is to ensure the physical, mental and emotional well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. In my previous 28 years, we have had many challenges related to threats to school safety, transportation to and from school, repair of dangerous equipment or facilities, and more recently, we engage in monthly drills for natural disasters, evacuation of the school facility, and sadly, responses to the threat of violence against students and staff.

However, now my school community and I face the invisible threat of a deadly virus that can affect us all. Karen had not been on campus regularly since March.  The impact on our school community is no less though.  It is clear that this virus is not contained by a single site or school but affects the whole community.  School leaders all over the nation are faced with this risk. I would argue that my perspective is more real than others. My family and I have experienced the illness firsthand, and watched as not one but two of our school family have paid the ultimate price for making a difference in our community.

A single life lost is one too many. With great respect to our governor and state leaders, I have to look into the eyes of my school family of students and teachers and say I cannot guarantee your safety in this environment. That is a tremendous responsibility and makes me wonder “who’s next?”. I cannot sit idly by and wait to mourn with another family. I want to look myself in the mirror each night and know I have done the right thing to keep our school community safe. Our Leon County School Board and Superintendent Rocky Hanna have been patient and solid leaders that have followed state mandates as they work non-stop and prepare and adapt our re-opening plans to increase student and staff safety. But, as I mentioned before, we are at the mercy of an ever changing pandemic that does not abide by the rules and mandates of policy makers...including me.

As a school leader, I cannot continue to see my school family mourn our friends and then tell them that “I can keep you safe when you come to school. “ That would certainly be a lie and a slap in the face to the Byrd and Bradwell families as they grieve and plan memorial services for angels gone too soon.

With what the Fort Braden School community has already endured, I cannot support a return to brick and mortar school and respectfully call on our state leaders to postpone the  return of students to school buildings until such time as it is reasonably safe for all members of our school communities. Our students, staff, and personnel are not a gamble I am willing to take when lives hang in the balance.

Take the time to hug your loved ones today,

Jimbo

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Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.

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