It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that one of the victims of the Las Vegas shooting tragedy was a 2015 graduate of Riverside Poly High School. This is a tremendous loss for the Riverside Unified family, and we are shaken and saddened by this news.
Poly High staff remembers Angela Gomez (also known as Angie) as a "fun-loving young lady with a great sense of humor." They say she loved the stage and participated for many years with Riverside Children’s Theater, as well as being involved in her middle and high school choirs. Angie was a hard-worker who always challenged herself academically, and after graduation she went on to attend classes at Riverside Community College. Angie was a loyal friend who loved her family and will be forever missed by all who knew her.
This has been an especially tough time for Poly High School's students, staff and families, as they also recently lost long-time teacher, Leo Caudill, who taught in their Social Sciences department for 17 years. Mr. Caudill was beloved by his students and colleagues – always going the extra mile to impact and guide students to reach for their full potential. He will be sorely missed.
Additional counselors and crisis support staff have been made available for any student or staff member at Poly who needs assistance in processing the recent tragic events.
For more information about talking to your children and students about this tragedy, please download the following information to help them through this difficult time.
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
Addressing Grief: Tips for Teachers and Administrators