WINDER, Ga. — Classes started at Apalachee High School on Tuesday for the first time since the Sept. 4 shooting that left two teachers and two students dead.
The school is operating on half days for a couple of weeks before switching back to full-time after the students and staff return from fall break.
Outside the school, people were met with signs of support, such as bows, encouraging messages on school buses and signs reminding them that "love will prevail."
"I think it means a lot to them to know that the community is really thinking about them and trying to help them heal," said Debbie Newsome, who started fundraising to support staff and students.
She, along with other community members like Brittany Purcell and Associates, raised money to provide lunch for staff after their first day.
"That is for teachers, the officers that are at the school, anyone that is there. Counselors for the children that are grieving, any paramedics that are on scene, cafeteria workers, the janitors," Newsome said, adding bus drivers to the list.
Newsome, a realtor who's lived in the community for 33 years, is the grandmother of a student at Apalachee High School. She remembers the moment she heard about the shooting.
"It was so hard. My heart just dropped. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know who was hurt -- if anybody was hurt," Newsome said. "At the moment, you get scared. You just don’t know what to think."
She said she knew she wanted to find a way to help after the tragedy rocked her community.
"I was given the chance for my grandson to come home to me," she said. "So this is my way of paying it forward, being able to bless other people."
Newsome is also collecting donations and snacks for students so that when they go back to school full time, they will have some comfort food.
"I can’t take away their pain. I can’t take away their grieving. But I can offer a little bit of hope," Newsome said.
You can click here to donate to help the Apalachee community.