A longtime substitute teacher says the Penn-Kidder Campus should be closed Friday so its students and staff can mourn the loss of a teacher.

During a school board meeting on Wednesday, Mary Blay encouraged board members to close the building for a teacher’s funeral Mass on Friday. Blay said she was speaking on behalf of her colleagues who teach at the school.

“If you’ve never worked closely with someone for 18 years, you can’t understand,” she said.

Superintendent John Rushefski said Jim Thorpe does not typically close school due to the death in the school community.

“A lot of staff have said that this is what we do when someone passes,” he said. “You can honor somebody by having that day of school.”

A Penn-Kidder parent, Amber Everett, said she realized that closing school is a difficult decision, but she said it is needed for school morale.

“It affects the staff. It affects their education. It affects their health, it affects everything,” she said.

Area districts have taken different approaches to closing school following a death. In 2013 Palmerton closed school for a teacher’s services. Panther Valley did not close school after losing three teachers to unrelated deaths during this school year.

The National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement does not recommend closing schools for memorial services. If the services are scheduled during school hours, they suggest allowing students who had a close relationship with the deceased to attend.

A guide put out by the organization says “Schools can be the best setting to provide services to students (and staff) after a loss that affects the school community.”

Some board members supported closing school. Pearl Downs-Sheckler made a motion for a vote to close the school Friday, but the board did not vote on it.

After a 15-minute closed-door session, there was no further discussion.

Brian Carroll, a longtime third grade teacher at Panther Valley and basketball coach at Jim Thorpe and Panther Valley, died last Wednesday after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

A Memorial Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at Immaculate Conception Church in Jim Thorpe. Calling hours are 6-8 p.m. Thursday and 10-11 a.m. Friday in the church.