A freak accident has claimed the life of a beloved teacher at a prestigious Joburg private school, leaving the pupils, teachers and parents in shock and grief.
Lisa Grainger, who taught grade 5 at St Stithians College in Sandton, northern Joburg, died after choking on a piece of pineapple from a pizza on July 21, according to a letter from the school to the parents.
The school’s spokesperson, Anne Fyfe-Hitchings, said the incident did not happen at the school and declined to comment further out of respect for the privacy of Grainger’s family and loved ones.
“We have reached out to the family and they have in turn asked that they be given privacy and time to grieve their profound loss,” she said.
Grainger had been a teacher at the Methodist Church-affiliated school for 19 years and was known for her passion for teaching, the arts and her students’ well-being.
“Ms Grainger was more than just an exceptional teacher; she was a true inspiration to everyone fortunate enough to know her. Her passion for teaching, and the arts as well as her genuine care for her students’ well-being left an indelible mark on the lives of countless young girls,” said Angelique Walters, the acting head of the girls’ preparatory school, in the letter sent to parents on July 22.
Walters also said that the school had arranged for the girls’ college psychologists to support and contain the girls’ prep community in this difficult time.
“Should your daughter not feel up to coming to school on Monday, that is absolutely fine. Please can parents communicate their daughter’s absence with the relevant tutor/teacher,” she said in the letter.