Norwich — A Norwich Free Academy student died unexpectedly Wednesday night, Head of School Brian M. Kelly said in a message to parents and guardians Thursday. The school did not name the student, out of respect for the privacy of the family, but said the student is from Norwich.

Kelly said school counselors were in all classes directly impacted by the loss, to share information and provide support. He also said all students were notified of the loss and given information about drop-in counseling areas, which also will be available Friday.

"In a moment like this, the strength of our school community is evident in the support we can provide each other," he wrote. "And, on behalf of our community, I offer our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of this student and ask that you continue to keep them in your thoughts."

He added that anyone may be impacted, regardless of a direct connection to the student, and that while NFA will continue to offer support on campus, "it's important to know our students may benefit from additional support outside of school, too."

"This has been a challenging year, and this is the second significant loss in our community," Kelly said, referring to a staff member who died earlier this year.

Kelly said NFA is adjusting its schedule next week "to allow students and staff to spend more time with their loved ones," by beginning the Thanksgiving holiday on Wednesday. Classes will resume the following Monday.

e.moser@theday.com