MI Educator Found Dead At School Identified: Report

IONIA COUNTY, MI — A public educator who was found dead inside a Michigan school has been identified, according to a report.

Ionia Public Schools identified the educator as Jason Little, the principal at Douglas R. Welch High School, the Ionia Sentinel-Standard reported.

School officials said Little was found dead at the school early Thursday. They did not reveal a cause of death, but said there is no threat to the community.

Welch High School, Ionia High School and Bulldog Beginnings Preschool, which all share a campus, were closed on Thursday. Welch High School remained closed on Friday. Grief counselors were on campus Friday to support and comfort students and staff.

Little taught history and social studies for 12 years, including within the Ionia Public Schools. He then went on to be Principal of Douglas R. Welch High School, according to his obituary.

Family members created a GoFundMe page to help with emergency expenses and to establish college funds for Little's kids.

"Jason was more than a teacher; he was a mentor, a friend, and a guiding presence in the lives of his students," family members wrote on the fundraiser page. "His enthusiasm for history brought the past to life, while his kindness, patience, and dedication inspired those around him."