Students wary, hopeful, on return to site of Florida school shooting
PARKLAND, Fla. (FOX 13) - As students return to school Wednesday morning, the walkway leading onto the campus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is lined with flowers and photographs, memorials to the 17 students and teachers killed in a Valentine's Day massacre.
A large law enforcement presence arrived early Wednesday morning, before any staff, faculty or students. Red and blue lights from the Broward County Sheriff's Office and other surrounding agencies outlined the campus and continuously flickered before sunrise.
About 3,000 students are expected to return. They will have a modified schedule the rest of this week, with half days starting at 7:40 a.m. and ending at 11:40 a.m. The building where the shooting happened, the Freshman Building, was sealed off and no students will be allowed inside. Parents, students, and members in the community have called for the building to be demolished.
Grief counselors will be available, as well as additional teachers to replace those who are not ready to return to the school.
One teacher, Jeff Foster, spoke to FOX 13 during Good Day Tampa Bay and says he is taking in former colleagues' class, which belonged to one of the 17 victims, Scott Beigel.
"We're here for their emotional state," he tells FOX 13's Russell Rhodes. "We're feeling, literally, one minute at a time. We’re expecting a lot of hugs, hopefully some smiles. I assume there are going to be some kids who are going to come to school damaged."
Foster said he hopes they can eventually return to discussing curriculumn, but that is not the focus, just yet. He explained the stages of grief have "accelerated," but the community remains strong.
"My students -- I teach government -- are living the curriculum right now," he said. "They are strong kids. They are intelligent kids, articulate kids. We’ve gotten so much support, not just from our community, but all over the world. We’re not going to disappoint them."
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Marjory Stoneman Douglas Principal Ty Thompson tweeted words of encouragement on Tuesday.
"Looking forward to tomorrow Eagles! Remember our focus is on emotional readiness and comfort not curriculum: so there is no need for backpacks. Come ready to start the healing process and #RECLAIMTHENEST"
Alexis Grogan, a 15-year-old sophomore, planned to wear a Stoneman Douglas color - maroon - on the first day back to class Wednesday, plus sneakers that say "MSD Strong, be positive, be passionate, be proud to be an eagle" and "2/14/18" in honor of those who died.
She feels nervous, like it might be too soon to go on as usual without slain friends like Luke Hoyer, who sat two seats behind her in Spanish. Still, the support from her fellow students, and their fight to strengthen gun control laws have buoyed her spirits.
"I am so proud of how the kids at my school have been fighting because we all want change to happen and, as we see the progression, it really shows us that people do care and they do hear what we have to say," Grogan said in a text message.
Outside the school on Tuesday, people tied poems to the chain-link fence surrounding the school, and dropped off red, heart-shaped balloons. The building where the shooting occurred was cordoned off, and people signed photographs of the fallen.
Scott will highlight his $500 million plan on school safety in Tampa on Wednesday morning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.