WINDER, Ga. — An open house was held at Apalachee High School on Monday as students and staff prepared to head back to class for the first time since the tragic September 4 shooting.
“I applaud our school system. We are the strongest around,” said Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith during a news conference Monday.
The Barrow County School District plans to slowly ease students at Apalachee High back into the swing of things. First, there will be Monday's open house, where details of the return-to-class plan will be provided to parents and students.
Officials say classes will resume Tuesday with Phase One, which will be two weeks of half-day courses. The students will then have Fall Break and return for Phase Two, when classes will return to full days.
“Today is a huge step for us healing in this building behind us. Obviously, a lot of emotions going on today. The kids and the teachers have been communicating but not face-to-face in most regards, but they will today,” added Smith.
11Alive saw parents loving on their children as they walked into the building for the first since the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of two students and two teachers.
“On September 4, our community was brought to its knees. Unfortunately, our most vulnerable were attacked, our kids and our teachers in this building behind us, but what evil did not plan for is the resiliency and strength that they have,” added Smith.
A portion of the main building where the shooting happened has been closed off, with the construction of a wall and classes in that area have been moved off-site to the Chee East Building. During Monday’s Open House, students and parents also got to see inside Chee East for the first time.
As classes get underway Tuesday, new security measures are also being implemented, but officials say all of the changes will not be made public.
“Understand that there are safety measures in place, and just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not there. And hopefully, we will have no issues and that our kids will get back on that path and be the strong Chee nation that they are,” Smith went on.
Officials say they will also continue offering counseling services to those in need.