Naperville school breaks news of teacher’s death to students
By Susan Frick Carlman Sun-Times Media scarlman@suntimes.com February 6, 2012 5:46PM
A parent walks students to Spring Brook Elementary on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, as a sign memorializes Shaun Wild, a second-grade teacher who was killed over the weekend after being stabbed at Frankie's Blue Room in downtown Naperville. | Jeff Cagle~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 8, 2012 8:16AM
Administrators and staff at Naperville’s Spring Brook Elementary School devoted much of their time Monday to helping the school community absorb the news that second-grade teacher Shaun Wild had been killed.
Wild, 24, died early Saturday after he was stabbed during an argument at a downtown Naperville bar.
The staff at Spring Brook met over the weekend to finalize plans for addressing the tragedy when school resumed Monday.
Staff members were told to break the news without giving details of how Wild died, and parents of children in his class were invited into the classroom at the beginning of the day.
Wild’s death was the second tragedy Spring Brook Elementary has experienced since the beginning of the year. Fareeza Habib, 9, a fifth-grader at the school, and her brother Ashaz, 7, a first-grader, were killed along with their parents in an automobile crash while they were vacationing in India in early January.
Authorities said Wild, a recent North Central College graduate who played on the football team, tried to defuse a confrontation at Frankie’s Blue Room between his friend Willie Hayes, a North Central senior, and Daniel Olaska of Naperville, shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday.
Hayes also was stabbed and underwent surgery at Edward Hospital before being released Monday morning. A third victim, Rafael Castenada, a bouncer at Frankie’s, was treated at the hospital and released.
Olaska, 27, is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. He remained in the DuPage County Jail in Wheaton Monday on $3 million bond.
Assistant State’s Attorney Tim Diamond said the quarrel began after Hayes teased Olaska for drinking beer from a wine glass. The stabbing was recorded on the bar’s security cameras, and Olaska later confessed to the crimes, Diamond said.
Olaska’s family released a statement Monday that said nothing could have prepared them for this “tragedy.”
“We are thankful for all the prayers and support that we are receiving. Our hearts and our prayers go out to the Wild family and all other people involved,” the statement said.
Also in a statement, Naperville Mayor George Pradel said, “This morning the second grade class at Spring Brook Elementary has no teacher. Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who mourn with us.”
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