An important moment for Apalachee High School is scheduled to occur at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday — students will return to class.
Classes have not taken place at the school, nestled in the small Barrow County community of Winder, since Sept. 4. That is when authorities say a 14-year-old student shot and killed two students and two teachers and injured nine others.
The shooting left a community struggling with trauma and grief.
Afterward, the school district closed all schools for three days, and every other school except for Apalachee High resumed classes Sept. 10. The high school had about 1,900 students last school year, more than any school in Barrow, according to state data.
Teachers and staff have already returned to Apalachee High to prepare for students. Some extracurricular activities have resumed, including the football team resuming practice.
The changes
Many things, though, will be different Tuesday.
For example, the hall where the shooting took place will be closed for the remainder of the school year, so social studies classes will be held in another building a few miles away, the school district website says. Some in the Apalachee community have raised concerns that moving social studies classes separates students from their classmates.
A Change.org petition calls for options for students to temporarily take classes remotely, a clear bag policy and placing metal detectors at the school. When asked questions about safety measures at Apalachee, the school district sent the following response:
“We appreciate your understanding as we focus our attention and love on welcoming our students back to our schools. You will find the latest information about return plans and recent messages we’ve sent to families and staff on our website.”
Barrow administrators have not publicly said if and how the school district will make up the days Apalachee students have missed since Sept. 4. The school year began Aug. 1, about four weeks before the shooting.
Principal Jessica Rehberg and Barrow Superintendent Dallas LeDuff posted a video message on the website about some of the changes students and their families can expect.
“We are working to make sure we have the right systems and resources in place,” Rehberg said. “We also want to ensure that we have the right mental health support on our campus, spaces for relocated classes and have thought through every detail of your return, including scheduling, transportation, curriculum and classroom materials.”
The district will have an increased law enforcement presence on campus. They will also add counselors and therapy dogs. Monday, the school will host an open house for students and their families. Classes resume Tuesday, but students will only attend for half a day until Oct. 14.
A gradual restart
“I think that the approach of going back slowly like that is very wise and thoughtful and compassionate for everybody,” said Nadine Kaslow, a professor and vice chair in Emory University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Kaslow has treated gun violence survivors, including some from Apalachee High.
“(District officials) waited a respectful amount of time and time to sort of stabilize and get a plan in place for lots of different things, I was very glad when I heard about it.”
Credit: undefined
Credit: undefined
Research shows more people utilize mental health services after school shootings. Additionally, test scores and attendance tend to drop, Kaslow noted.
“We know that (school shootings) really have profound effects on kids, but not all children are the same and not all teachers are the same,” she said, explaining that people process trauma differently.
Kaslow added that’s what makes planning a return to school so difficult. She said the district and school officials shouldn’t deliver orders in a top-down manner but should seek community input before making decisions.
In her message, Rehberg said that’s what administrators are doing.
“While these dates and plans are our hope, we’ll adjust as needed to make sure we’re prioritizing the well-being and comfort of every student as we move forward together,” she said.
Student concerns
Some students and families are hesitant about returning to a place they once felt safe but now aren’t sure what to think.
Isaac Sanguma’s algebra teacher, Cristina Irimie, was killed in the shooting. He wrote a rap song about her and the other victims that garnered more than 2 million views on social media.
“It really depends on how they go about things because if we do go back to school with no metal detectors (or) regular security stuff, I wouldn’t feel safe,” said Isaac, 16.
“I’m not going to say, ‘Oh, I’m scared to go back to school,’” he added. “I really love school. I enjoy school. I felt safe at school, but going back, I really don’t know. It just depends on how everything goes about.”
Credit: April Lanuza
Credit: April Lanuza
April Johnson, whose daughter Jasmine texted her while Apalachee was on lockdown, said she was shocked when the shooting happened in the close-knit community of Winder. The school is named after the nearby Apalachee River, and Apalachee is a Choctaw word meaning “allies.”
“Everybody knows each other,” she said. “Something like this comes around, it’s like, you can’t believe it.”
Jasmine, 17, heard the gunshots in the hallway outside her classroom. She thought someone was banging on lockers. The day after the shooting, her mom said she was worried about sending Jasmine back to school.
“What if somebody hits a locker?” April Johnson said. “(Jasmine has) real bad anxiety. So if somebody’s hitting locker, she’s going to think somebody in that school is shooting again.”
Kaslow said teachers and school administrators need to be aware of potential triggers like that and allow students to talk about them.
“If you hear banging like that, you can say, ‘Oh, wow, we’re all hearing banging,’” she said. “‘That sounds like a locker.’ Just sort of acknowledge that, (don’t) pretend it’s not going on.”
LeDuff, the superintendent, admitted in the video message that things may not go perfectly when school resumes.
“We’re all going to have good days, bad days, plenty of ups and downs in between, and you aren’t alone in this,” he said.
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