Richland Two elementary school teacher dies of COVID-19, officials say
A teacher at an elementary school in Columbia died from complications caused by COVID-19, Richland County School District Two officials said Wednesday.
Demetria “Demi” Bannister, 28, a teacher at Windsor Elementary School, died Monday, Richland Two spokeswoman Libby Roof said in a news release.
“With heavy hearts, (Richland Two) administrators share this information with permission from Ms. Bannister’s parents who wish to remind others about the seriousness of this disease caused by the coronavirus,” Roof said in the release.
Bannister had just started her third year of teaching third grade at Windsor on Aug. 31, according to the release. She previously taught fifth grade at the school on Dunbarton Drive in Columbia where she had worked for five years, Roof said.
Bannister was last at Windsor Elementary on Aug. 28, the last workday for teachers before the start of the school year, according to the release. Bannister began the school year teaching her students virtually from her residence, Roof said.
Richland Two said it followed the proper procedures for contact tracing and notification of close contacts after learning Bannister tested positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 4.
The school district also had its custodian service clean the school, “disinfecting it with EPA approved virucides and electrostatic disinfecting machines,” according to the release.
Employees at the school were told about Bannister’s death on Monday, and parents of her students from this year and last year were informed on Tuesday, Roof said.
“I want to express my sincere condolences to Ms. Bannister’s parents, relatives, friends and school family,” Richland Two Superintendent Dr. Baron Davis said in the release. “While gone from us too soon, Ms. Bannister’s legacy lives on through the lives of the students she taught in her five years as a dedicated educator. To honor Ms. Bannister’s memory I ask the Richland Two family to join me in reaffirming our commitment to doing all we can to provide premier learning experiences for all students in the safest environment possible and doing our part to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
Richland Two’s Learning Support Services is providing counseling services to employees and students at Windsor Elementary School, Roof said.
In addition to her third grade class, Bannister led the school’s student choir in a variety of performances and hosted a student club for aspiring singers, according to the release. She served as a 2020 Team Leader, helped lead school spirit initiatives and served on the school’s AVID site team, Roof said.
“Known as Windsor’s Songbird, Ms. Bannister used her musical talents to bring a great deal of joy to our school,” Windsor Elementary Principal Denise Quickel said in the release. “For our school’s Attendance Matters kickoff in 2019, she wrote a song about the importance of coming to school to the tune of ‘Old Town Road’. The song and video were a big hit with our school family.
“Ms. Bannister loved her students and never missed an opportunity to advocate for students and public education.”
No date has been set for Bannister’s funeral, according to her obituary with the Leevy Funeral Home.
“My heart is so heavy right now. We lost an Amazing young Teacher this week in Richland Two. My condolences and prayers go out to Demetria Bannister’s family, friends and school family,” Richland Two board member Dr. Teresa Holmes said on Facebook. “God has gained another Angel. Please be safe and careful in these trying times of Covid-19.”
S.C. Rep. Kambrell Garvin echoed those sentiments, tweeting “She had the voice of an angel and was also an amazing 3rd grade teacher. Only 28, we lost this beautiful soul to this terrible contagion, COVID-19.”
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This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Richland Two elementary school teacher dies of COVID-19, officials say."
