ORANGEVALE (CBS13) – A body was found on the campus of a school in Orangevale on the first day of classes Tuesday, according to officials.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department says it received a call about 7:45 a.m. reporting that a custodian found the body of a white man hanging from a tree on the grounds of Pacific Technology School at 6550 Filbert Avenue in Orangevale.

It was first reported that the body was hanging from a play structure on campus.

Students were kept inside as deputies investigated. But, a school administrator says “a couple of kids” saw the body before it was covered by a tarp.

“All the students were safe. They were never in any danger. The school is providing counseling services to all the students who may need to talk to somebody. And the school has also communicated with all the parents,” said Trent Allen of the San Juan Unified School District.

Still, neighbors and parents couldn’t believe what children were possibly exposed to on their first day back to school.

“There were sheriffs standing around and the sheet was on the other side of the playground structure,” a school parent named Denise said.

Investigators are calling it a suicide.

The charter school is for grades 6-12. It wasn’t clear how old the children were who may have seen the body.

“Hopefully, they weren’t too young,” Denise said.

As the first day of school let out Tuesday afternoon, some parents were just finding out about the suicide.

“Well, I didn’t get that message,” parent Rebecca Hadey said. “I haven’t been home all day, so wow. So I can’t wait to talk to my daughter and see how they were able to handle it with the children.”

This is not a way to start a new school year.

“It’s pretty sad that he comes and does this at a school right before the kids come in,” resident Don Moore said.