Wayland Patch 7/13/11: Parent Support Forum Yields Tips, Encouragement for Coping with Tragedy. Parents, guardians, grandparents, school officials and more filled the auditorium at Wayland Middle School Tuesday night for a parent support forum organized in response to Lauren Astley’s murder.

Wayland High School Principal Pat Tutwiler opened the meeting by referring to an unnamed person with whom he had recently discussed the tragedy and recovery from it.

“In situations like this,” Tutwiler said the person told him, “tragic as it is, sad as it is, if the adults are looked after, if the adults have the opportunity to process and connect, if the adults are cared for, the young people, the kids, will actually benefit.”

Tutwiler said that was the goal of Tuesday’s forum: To give adults a chance to connect and process so they could effectively help their children do the same.