Ramona High employee found dead on campus

A 69-year-old male employee of Ramona High School was found dead on the school campus Tuesday shortly after 7 a.m., reported Ramona Unified School District Superintendent Robert Graeff, Ed.D.

A school librarian discovered the body of Donald Ide, Ramona High’s media computer technician, in a staff restroom in the library, said Graeff.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Medical Examiner were called to the scene and conducted an investigation Tuesday morning. The medical examiner confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Ide’s next of kin had been notified, but no cause of death had been released.

According to Graeff, Ide had been employed by the district since 2006, but had been suffering from poor health for the past several years. He normally left work around 1 p.m., but because his car was discovered on campus Tuesday morning, Graeff said it is likely he never left on Monday.

In an email, Graeff said it appeared that the employee went to the restroom after work Monday “and suffered some kind of life-ending event.”

School attendance was lighter than usual early Tuesday as only sophomores were on campus to take the California High School Exit Examination.

Approximately 423 sophomores were expected to take the test Tuesday morning. The total student enrollment is 1,645. Graeff said the rest of the student population was scheduled to start around 10 a.m.

“It was helpful in controlling what could have been a much more difficult situation,” he said.

Ramona High Principal Chris King, Ph.D., sent a message to parents of students, alerting them to the death and letting them know the school has put support services in place for students and staff.

“If your child is showing signs that they need support as a result of this death, please contact the counseling office at 760-787-4022,” King said in the message.