Support Resources Available Following Death of AHS and NMS Teacher
Support Resources Available Following Death of AHS and NMS Teacher
The following message was sent by Assistant Superintendent Kim Tinsley to all district families on Sunday, July 26, 2026. The message includes information about mental health resources that cover a variety of areas, and additional resources can be found on the FHSD Community Resource List or in this guide titled “How to help a grieving child” from Fernside Center for Grieving Children.
Dear Forest Hills Families,
I’m writing with a heavy heart and deep sadness to share news with you of the death of a staff member who taught this past year at Anderson High School and Nagel Middle School. We learned that Erick Urbaniak, a German teacher, passed away this weekend after a recent decline in health related to long-term medical challenges he has faced bravely for some time. Dr. Urbaniak was a beloved member of the Anderson and Nagel teaching staffs who has influenced and impacted countless lives during his time in Forest Hills School District. He also spent time teaching at Turpin High School in past years. Please join us as we keep Dr. Urbaniak’s wife and two children in our hearts during this difficult time, and we are also thinking of the many students, colleagues and families in FHSD who have been touched by his kindness and dedication over the years.
We understand this news can be difficult for some to process during the summer months without school being in session. Anderson High School’s TECIP team is working closely with the school district to offer additional support to students and staff navigating this difficult time. TECIP stands for Traumatic Event Crisis Intervention Plan and all schools in FHSD use this framework to guide our response to better meet the psychological and emotional needs of people impacted by events like this.
Members of the AHS counseling team and licensed therapists from our partners at Cincinnati Children’s will be available at Anderson High School on Monday and Tuesday, July 27 and 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for anyone looking for support. You can find additional community resources at the bottom of this email, including some that are available 24/7.
I know our entire community will come together to lift each other up as we remember the wonderful life led by Dr. Urbaniak. He was not only respected for delivering high quality instruction, he helped create an infectious culture of positivity and curiosity in both his students and his colleagues. Dr. Urbaniak will be remembered for bringing the German language and culture to life, but also for developing strong relationships and connections with students and staff at Anderson, Turpin and Nagel.
Dr. Urbaniak's family is asking anyone who wants to share fond memories, stories, cards, photos or other warm thoughts about him to drop those off or mail them to Anderson High School at 7560 Forest Road, Cincinnati, OH 45255. You can also email contact@foresthills.edu to do the same so a scrapbook of happy memories can be created for his family.
Again, we greatly appreciate your thoughts of support for Dr. Urbaniak’s family, our Anderson and Nagel staff and students, and everyone in FHSD who is missing him today. If you have any questions or would like to reach out, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Sincerely,
Kim Tinsley
Assistant SuperintendentEmergency and Support Resources
- If you, your student, or anyone else you know is in a life-threatening health crisis or emergency, call 911.
- If you, your student, or anyone else you know is in emotional distress or experiencing suicidal crisis, call or text 988, available 24/7. You can also visit the 988 Lifeline website to learn more.
- If you have concerns about threats to student safety, we urge you to call or text the Safer Ohio School Tip Line at 844-SaferOH (844-723-3764). This line is staffed 24/7.
- If your student is experiencing a non-life threatening mental health crisis and you need direction on next steps to stay safe, we urge you to call the Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The PIRC line is 513-636-4124.
- If you are seeking additional resources, we encourage you to start at the links below:
