River Hill High Students, Staff Mourn Death of Teacher

Deborah Welsh, a family and consumer science teacher at River Hill High School, died on Friday, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer, according to school officials.

Welsh had suffered a series of strokes that began in January. Last week, doctors told her that she had cancer, which was causing the strokes, according to Nicholas Novak, River Hill's principal, writing in an email sent out Friday afternoon to students' parents.

Welsh was also an adviser to the school's student government association and ran the River Hill High School Teacher Academy, Novak wrote.

"Mrs. Welsh was a dedicated and talented teacher who will be sorely missed," Novak wrote. "Please join us in keeping the Welsh family in your thoughts and prayers in the days and weeks ahead as they face this difficult time."

Students will be told of Welsh's death on Monday morning in a statement read to their classes. Counselors will be made available for students. 

School officials sent out a notice before next week " because we believe that many students may learn of Mrs. Welsh’s death over the weekend through friends or social networking," Novak told parents.

"We wanted you, as a parent, to be able to be aware of the situation and to be able to support your child if they are impacted by her passing," he wrote.