WINDER, Ga. (AP) 鈥 Many students in Georgia's Barrow County headed back to class Tuesday, six days after a shooting killed two teachers and two students at the school district's Apalachee High School northeast of Atlanta.
No return date has been set for the 1,900 students at that high school, but the 13,000 students in Barrow County's other schools did return, including at the middle school and elementary school that border the Apalachee campus in Winder.
When her 8-year-old daughter said over the weekend that she was scared to go back to school, Shonderi Williams broke down in her bathroom. She has two daughters Yargo Elementary School and one daughter at Haymon-Morris Middle School, the schools next door. She said she tried to put on a 鈥渉ero face.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to teach them, I鈥檓 here for you. I鈥檓 your protector. There鈥檚 nobody that鈥檚 going to hurt you, 鈥 Williams told The Associated Press while she waited to pick up her two daughters who attend Yargo. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 be around them 24/7, so I know that鈥檚 a lie that I told my child. But I have to go and be that strong parent for them.鈥
Williams had a son who died in 2003 at age 2, and said she was hesitant to send her kids back.
鈥淢y kids are still in danger,鈥 Williams said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a mind-boggling situation that we all have to get through.鈥
Jaime Love said she was overwhelmed with relief when her daughter, who also attends Yargo, jumped into the car after school.
鈥淚 honestly could cry,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really excited.鈥
Throughout the day, Love wondered if she would get a phone call from her daughter鈥檚 teacher, asking to pick her up. Her daughter struggled with nightmares over the weekend. But she seemed to feel better when Love and her husband explained that the police were there for safety, not because something was wrong.
鈥淲e spent a lot of time trying to just make her feel safe and understand that school can go back to being a happy, fun, and educational place,鈥 Love said.
Superintendent Dallas LeDuff said sheriff鈥檚 deputies and state troopers would provide extra security when schools reopened, with counseling available at all campuses.
鈥淲e know the days ahead are going to be difficult, and that we have some staff and some students who are not ready to return to school,鈥 LeDuff said. 鈥淲e also believe as a school system that it is our responsibility to provide a safe space for those who are.鈥
Ashley Sanders has children at Yargo and Haymon-Morris, and next year her oldest daughter will attend Apalachee.
鈥淗aving police presence is a little comforting, but what is going to happen after they鈥檙e gone?鈥 Sanders said. 鈥淲hat is going to be put in place to keep our kids safe after what happened Wednesday?鈥
Sanders felt relieved Tuesday after texting her daughter to say she loved her and receiving a response.
鈥淚t鈥檚 scary as a parent, having your kids here,鈥 Sanders said.
Relatives and friends are , including teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. A memorial service was held Sunday for Aspinwall, while a Romanian Orthodox Church congregation honored Irimie. Her funeral is set for Saturday.
Colt Gray, 14, is charged as an adult with four counts of murder, and District Attorney Brad Smith has said to be filed against him in connection with the wounded. Authorities have also charged his 54-year-old father, with second degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. Investigators allege Colin Gray gave his son access to the gun when he knew or should have known that the teen was a danger to himself and others.
Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, with seven of those hit by gunfire. More of them are going home from hospitals. Doug Griffith said his 15-year-old daughter, Natalie Griffith, was released from a hospital on Monday after being treated for gunshot wounds to her arm and wrist.
Natalie Griffith is a freshman and a flute player in the band. She was shot in her algebra class.
鈥淪he鈥檚 got an A in algebra, and she鈥檚 extremely proud of that,鈥 Doug Griffith said.
Griffith is one of a number of relatives seeking to raise donations through GoFundMe. He said he wants to make sure his daughter has help, as well as to support other victims.
Robert Runcie, the former superintendent of Broward County Public Schools in Florida, said Tuesday that people in Barrow County should 鈥済ive each other a lot of grace, love and support鈥 as students return. Runcie was the superintendent when a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018.
鈥淢ake the space and time for doing it, and recognize that you鈥檙e not going to have a normal school day, whatever that normal looks like,鈥 he told the AP in an interview. 鈥淭he recovery process is going to take years, much longer than folks imagine,鈥 he said.
Amila Dawson said her son has been quieter than usual since the shooting. At one of the vigils, he broke down in tears, asking why people had to die and why a shooter got into the school.
鈥淚鈥檓 ready to get him,鈥 Dawson said as she waited in Haymon-Morris鈥 carpool line. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready to hear about his day. I鈥檓 praying all good things.鈥
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This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Jaime Love's first name.
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Amy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Jeff Martin contributed from Atlanta.
