Grief counsellors have been called in to help students and teachers deal with the sudden death of the school principal in Conne River.

58-year-old Velma Piercey died yesterday. Miawpukek First Nation Chief Mi’sel Joe heard about her passing last night when he stepped off a flight to Toronto.

“It’s an incredible shock to me,” he says, “I’ve known her most of my life. I’m still in shock over it.”

Chief Joe says Ms. Piercy played a huge role in the community, far beyond her position as principal at St. Anne’s.

Velma was one of the first people to go away and train to be a teacher. Joe says what he remembers most was that she always had a smile on her face.

He says she was always encouraging young people to do better.