Middletown High School closed Tuesday after teacher, student die in plane crash

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (WTNH) — Middletown High School is closed Tuesday after a teacher and student died in a small plane crash Sunday in Vermont .

Vermont State Police identified the victims as 55-year-old Paul Pelletier of Columbia, 88-year-old Frank Rodriquez of Lebanon, 51-year-old Susan Van Ness of Middletown and her 15-year-old daughter, Delilah Van Ness.

Middletown Public Schools officials said Pelletier was an aerospace and manufacturing teacher, and Delilah was a sophomore at the high school. Middletown police said Delilah was taking flight lessons with Pelletier.

“This unimaginable loss has left a void in our hearts and our community,” Middletown Public School Superintendent Dr. Alberto Vázquez Matos wrote in a letter to the community. “Paul, Delilah, and Susan were special individuals whose absence is already being felt throughout our district and city.”

Following their deaths, school officials said:

• Middletown High School will be closed on Tuesday, Sept 10.
• All high school fall sports games scheduled for Tuesday will be rescheduled. Practices are optional for student-athletes.
• Crisis teams will be available at Middletown High School during regular school hours on Sept. 10 to provide support, counseling and assistance to students and staff.
• Support staff will be present at all schools in the district to offer additional help as needed.

Information on discussing death and unexpected tragedy with children can be found on the district’s website under “death and unexpected tragedy.”

News 8 learned from the city’s fire department that the teen and Pelletier helped teach their department members to become drone pilots, sharing a passion and love for aviation.

“There’s going to be a lot of people who are mourning and grieving, and this is a community that often does that together,” Mayor Ben Florsheim (D-Middletown) said.

Susan Van Ness is remembered as an active community volunteer who served as the chief of programs for the National Diaper Bank (NDBN).

“All of us at NDBN, are shocked and saddened by this tragedy,” NDBN CEO Joanne Samuel Goldblum said. “Susan has impacted the lives of so many people and made an indelible imprint on our Network. We are where we are today because of her leadership and vision. She is our colleague, our friend and our family. She will remain with us always.”

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