Sandy Hook kids face first classes since massacre
MONROE, Conn. (AP) - For her son's first day of school since last month's massacre at his Sandy Hook Elementary, Sarah Caron tried to make Thursday as normal as possible. She made his favorite pancakes, and she walked the second-grader to the top of the driveway for the school bus.
But it was harder than usual to say goodbye.
"I hugged him a lot longer than normal, until he said, 'Mommy, please,'" she said. "And then he got on the bus, and he was OK."
Her 7-year-old son, William, was among more than 400 students who escaped a gunman's rampage that killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook on Dec. 14. On Thursday, the returning students settled in at their old, familiar desks but in a different school in a different town.
Returning students, teachers and administrators were met by a large police presence outside their new school in the neighboring town of Monroe, where a middle school that had been shuttered for nearly two years was overhauled and renamed after their old school. Several officers guarded the entrance and checked IDs of parents dropping off children.
Monroe police Lt. Keith White said attendance was very good and the children were getting back to "business as usual."
"A lot of them were happy to see their friends they hadn't seen in a while," he said.
William's classroom had been across the hall from a first-grade room where children and teacher Victoria Soto died, and he had been nervous about going back to school, Caron said. But an open house Wednesday at the school eased some of his fears.
"They didn't talk about what happened at all," she said. "They went in, met up with their teachers, had a little circle time and it was just about trying to get them back into school."
Most of the students arrived at the new school in Monroe by bus, something school officials had suggested to help them get back into a familiar routine.
Nick Phelps, who lives a few blocks from the original Sandy Hook school, said his first-grader and third-grader are excited about the new school because it means a longer bus ride to Monroe, which is about 7 miles away.
He was there when the bus brought them home Thursday afternoon.
"I was never so excited to see my children and, certainly, to see my children get off the bus. There was a shared joy," he said.
About 80 parents attended an assembly Thursday with school and police officials, who fielded questions about security and activities planned for their children. White said security will remain at a high level for now and will be re-evaluated each week.
The gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, shot and killed his mother inside their Newtown home before driving to the school. He shot his way into the building and carried out the massacre before committing suicide as police arrived.
On Thursday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced the creation of an advisory commission that will review and recommend changes to state laws and policies on gun control, school safety measures and mental health services in the wake of the Sandy Hook rampage.
Teams of workers, many of them volunteers, prepared the new school and even raised bathroom floors so the smaller elementary school students can reach the toilets. The students' backpacks and other belongings that were left behind after the shooting were taken to the new school to make them feel at home.
Students found the same chairs and desks, when possible. Their classroom walls were painted the same colors and hung with the same pictures. Other details, such as the location of bookshelves and cubby holes, were replicated as much as possible.
Newtown school Superintendent Janet Robinson said the school has been transformed into a "cheerful" place for the students. She said mental health counselors continue to be available for anyone who needs them.
Caron, 32, said her son knows what happened and has undergone counseling. She said her 5-year-old daughter, Paige, attends afternoon kindergarten at the school and has been dealing with nightmares about "snakes and bears and coyotes."
"She wasn't at school that day but was with me when we went to look for William at the firehouse," Caron said. "Unfortunately, she heard more about it than I wish she did."
Intellectually, Caron said, she knows her children will be very safe at their new school.
"But, emotionally," she said. "It's very hard to turn off the little 'What if?' that kind of hangs on and says, 'Well, you know what, December 14th started out as a normal day, too."
But it was harder than usual to say goodbye.
"I hugged him a lot longer than normal, until he said, 'Mommy, please,'" she said. "And then he got on the bus, and he was OK."
Her 7-year-old son, William, was among more than 400 students who escaped a gunman's rampage that killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook on Dec. 14. On Thursday, the returning students settled in at their old, familiar desks but in a different school in a different town.
Returning students, teachers and administrators were met by a large police presence outside their new school in the neighboring town of Monroe, where a middle school that had been shuttered for nearly two years was overhauled and renamed after their old school. Several officers guarded the entrance and checked IDs of parents dropping off children.
Monroe police Lt. Keith White said attendance was very good and the children were getting back to "business as usual."
"A lot of them were happy to see their friends they hadn't seen in a while," he said.
William's classroom had been across the hall from a first-grade room where children and teacher Victoria Soto died, and he had been nervous about going back to school, Caron said. But an open house Wednesday at the school eased some of his fears.
"They didn't talk about what happened at all," she said. "They went in, met up with their teachers, had a little circle time and it was just about trying to get them back into school."
Most of the students arrived at the new school in Monroe by bus, something school officials had suggested to help them get back into a familiar routine.
Nick Phelps, who lives a few blocks from the original Sandy Hook school, said his first-grader and third-grader are excited about the new school because it means a longer bus ride to Monroe, which is about 7 miles away.
He was there when the bus brought them home Thursday afternoon.
"I was never so excited to see my children and, certainly, to see my children get off the bus. There was a shared joy," he said.
About 80 parents attended an assembly Thursday with school and police officials, who fielded questions about security and activities planned for their children. White said security will remain at a high level for now and will be re-evaluated each week.
The gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, shot and killed his mother inside their Newtown home before driving to the school. He shot his way into the building and carried out the massacre before committing suicide as police arrived.
On Thursday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced the creation of an advisory commission that will review and recommend changes to state laws and policies on gun control, school safety measures and mental health services in the wake of the Sandy Hook rampage.
Teams of workers, many of them volunteers, prepared the new school and even raised bathroom floors so the smaller elementary school students can reach the toilets. The students' backpacks and other belongings that were left behind after the shooting were taken to the new school to make them feel at home.
Students found the same chairs and desks, when possible. Their classroom walls were painted the same colors and hung with the same pictures. Other details, such as the location of bookshelves and cubby holes, were replicated as much as possible.
Newtown school Superintendent Janet Robinson said the school has been transformed into a "cheerful" place for the students. She said mental health counselors continue to be available for anyone who needs them.
Caron, 32, said her son knows what happened and has undergone counseling. She said her 5-year-old daughter, Paige, attends afternoon kindergarten at the school and has been dealing with nightmares about "snakes and bears and coyotes."
"She wasn't at school that day but was with me when we went to look for William at the firehouse," Caron said. "Unfortunately, she heard more about it than I wish she did."
Intellectually, Caron said, she knows her children will be very safe at their new school.
"But, emotionally," she said. "It's very hard to turn off the little 'What if?' that kind of hangs on and says, 'Well, you know what, December 14th started out as a normal day, too."
Children are resilient. They will deal with this experience better than us grown-ups.Â
@Komo Dragon I hope you are right and I think you are right in one sense. But I also think some of the memories will stay with them forever. My mom grew up in Germany during WWII and was around the same age as these kids during the war - six years old when it started. She has very vivid memories of that time in her life and a lot of sounds can trigger those memories and cause fear that she knows is irrational but is still there nonetheless. I'm not saying that she's a basket case or anything like that but I know that despite forcing herself to smile and take us kids to fireworks shows when we were little, she now admits how much she hates hearing them, especially the actual firecrackers that are very loud. And when we had the big earthquake in... 2000 was it?... she grabbed her grandson that she was babysitting and hid with him in a coat closet because the noise preceeding the actual shaking was so loud that she thought there was an attack beginning (they live right next to JBLM). That's the kind of thing that I fear for these little ones. Yes, there are many people living in the world who have been through traumatic incidents and have fears that are triggered by different things but it's just too bad that it had to happen this way for these little ones. Of course, as they grow older they will also realize (as my mom does) that they are fortunate to be going about their daily lives and spending time with their families, friends and teachers. (Though I also believe that the victims are happy and safe in heaven with Jesus.)
It's great what they've done. I hope those children have a wonderful first day back and rest of the year. I do wonder if some children will actually have bad memories attached to all the same details that were at the old school. For example I'm much more of a "fresh start" person. In a bad situation I get rid of everything that had to do with it and start over completely. I suppose that's what the grief counselors are there for in case they do.
Sounds like the first day back went well and it's a good start to get these children back to routine. It's sad what happened, but they need to move forward for their emotional health. Now unless the kids need additional help I hope the adults will let them find their own comfort zone.
Our society is so reactionary. Now they've got road blocks and cops guarding the entrance to the school. Is this to give parents a feeling of security? Any nut job with a similar plan is not going to pick that school again. Who is going to pay for armed security guards at thousands of other schools across the nation that are vulnerable? Money would be better spent on ferreting out the mentally unstable boys and young men who seem to be the main perps in these crimes. Â We've gone too far down the road of open gun ownership for gun control to be effective short of a nationwide gun confiscation program which would be hugely costly and dangerous (never pry my cold dead fingers..) for those involved. Let's start enforcing our laws and keeping people behind bars or in mental institutions rather than slapping them on the noses with a rolled up paper! RIPÂ
 @SensationaLies maybe time to address the issue of denial:
http://www.policeone.com/active-shooter/articles/2058168-Active-shooters-in-schools-The-enemy-is-denial/
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 @SensationaLies I might think that the police presence does give some parents the sense of security after what they've gone through.I also think this road block keeps the media out and anyone else who doesn't need to be on campus in order to create some sort of normal school day inside the building.
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Hope you have a good day, little ones. You deserve peace and calm, amongst your friends.
@countyclerk I think you've hit the nail on the head. While undoubtedly they're trying to supply some sense of security, I think you're right that this is mainly about keeping the media and other gawkers away from the building. It's terrible what the media will do to get a "good" picture or quote and these kids definitely needed to begin their school day without a camera flashing at them!
Peace be with all of you...Â
 @DISPATCH911 Absolutely! My heart goes out to Connecticut and I wish them all a happy healing process and sorry for your loss. Let the goodness of peace shine through your school and rid any additional evil actions.