Grief counsellors are helping staff and students come to terms with the sudden death of a 16-year-old girl who fatally overdosed on the weekend.

Another 16-year-old girl has been hospitalized, and remains in critical condition.

Both girls attended Power Alternate Secondary School in New Westminster, an alternative school with just eight staff members and 66 students.

Officials have not identified the teen who died Friday, but friends and family said she was Angel Loyer-Lawrence. An online fundraising page has been set up on GoFundMe.com, and had raised nearly $3,000 in the first three days.

Loyer-Lawrence was an "outgoing, funny, wild spirit that was known for her beauty," the page says.

"She was smart and enthusiastic about doing good in life. She had goals to achieve and a life to look forward to. Our beautiful angel was taken too soon which is very tragic."

The woman who made the page said the money will be used to cover the costs of her funeral.

"The program is devastated," said Janet Grant, Associate Superintendent of New Westminster Schools. "It's a terrible tragedy and one that's much larger than our school district."

The teens' alternative school, which is attended by “diverse learners” between 16 and 18 years old, is very tight-knit, according to the district.

The New Westminster school district said it has mobilized its “critical incident response plan” to help support students with their grieving process.

That plan involves bringing in a team of counsellors, school psychologists and other staff that are trained in dealing with traumatic events.

"Our hearts go out to these families right now," said Pat Duncan of New Westminster Schools.

"I believe all of our parents in New Westminster were holding their children just a little bit closer this weekend."

The students took drugs sold as MDMA, but police initially suspected that the pills actually contained a mixture of unknown drugs. However, testing showed that the drug was in fact MDMA.

"MDMA can increase blood pressure and cause body temperature to spike," Sgt. Jeff Scott said in a statement on Friday.

"We are urging the public, especially those going out and planning to take recreational drugs to think twice. There is always a risk when taking drugs and the only way of staying safe is to avoid drugs altogether."

Scott said they are still trying to track down the drug dealer, and asked anyone with more information to contact them at 604-525-5411.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Sarah MacDonald