Ray-Pec Academy teacher, coach dies Tuesday after medical emergency at school
A teacher at an alternative high school program in Peculiar, Missouri died Tuesday after experiencing a medical emergency before the start of the school day.
Jon Shawver, who taught at Ray-Pec Academy and coached soccer at Ray-Pec High School, was rushed from the school to a nearby hospital before the first bell on Tuesday, according to a letter sent to Ray-Pec families.
He died at the hospital.
“Life will never be the same without him a phone call away,” Shawver’s brother Jack Brian Shawver wrote online Tuesday. “Never take life for granted. I’ve learned this the hard way today.”
Students did not see the medical episode, but did see emergency medical personnel responding to the school, Ray-Pec Academy principal Skyler Myers wrote in the letter.
Shawver had taught within the Raymore-Peculiar School District since 2005, starting at Ray-Pec Academy and Ray-Pec High School in 2011. He is survived by his wife, Heather, and three daughters.
“His commitment to his students and education will be greatly missed,” Raymore-Peculiar School District staff wrote in a second letter to students and families Wednesday. “...This is a very difficult time for all of us. The Shawver family has experienced a tremendous loss.”
In the wake of Shawver’s death, Tuesday night’s parent-teacher conferences at Ray-Pec were canceled and rescheduled for Wednesday, along with a scheduled soccer match.
