Connors, a 40-year-old engineer, felt reassured after recently visiting the new setup at the former Chalk Hill school in Monroe. He said his children were excited to see their backpacks and coats, and that the mily was greeted by a police officer at the door and grief counselors in the hallways.
Everyone was part and parcel of getting as many kids out of there safely as they could, she said. Almost everybody did something to save kids. One art teacher locked her kids in the kiln room, and I got a message from her on my cellphone saying she wouldnt come out until she saw a police badge.
Parents might have a harder time with fear than children, Ford said.
Before the shooting, a baby sitter would take Connors children to the bus stop. But Connors said hell probably take the third-graders to the bus the first few days.
Julian Ford, a clinical psychologist at the University of Connecticut who helped counsel milies in the days immediately following the shooting, recommended addressing it as questions come up but otherwise focusing on regular school work.
Each of the boys and girls are going to have different reactions to different aspects of the environment, Researching Tefl Courses In Cambridgefree satellite tv How Bing delivers search results. different little things that will be reminders to them, he said.
Its going to be a long road back, Connors said. Back to what I guess is the biggest question. Everyone keeps throwing that word around the new normal. What does the new normal look like? I think everybody kind of has to define that for themselves.
AFP/Getty Images
NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) Since escaping a gunmans rampage at their elementary school, the 8-year-old Connors triplets have suffered nightmares, jumped at noises and clung to their parents a little more than usual.
A man kneels at a picket fence with the names of shooting victims during a moment of silence in Sandy Hook village and December 21, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut. People around the United States joined in a moment of silence at 9:30 am to mark the one week anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, while bells also rang 26 times to honor the victims of alleged gunman Adam Lanza, not including his mother Nancy Lanza who was killed at their mily home. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
An army of workers has been getting the school ready, painting, moving furniture and even raising the floors in the bathrooms of the former middle school so the smaller elementary school students can reach the toilets.
Teachers are returning as well, and some have already been working on their classrooms. At some point, all those will be honored, but officials are still working out how and when to do so, Robinson said.
Kids just spontaneously make associations anSandy Hook students teachers head back to schoold will start talking about something that reminds them of someone, or that reminds them of some of the scary parts of the experience, Ford said. They dont need a lot of words; they need a few selective words that are thoughtful and sensitive, like, Were going to be OK, and We really miss this person, but well always be able to think about her or him in ways that are really nice.
I think that they need to get back into a normal routine as quickly as possible, Connors said. If youre hovering over them at all times, it almost intensifies the fear for them.
Classes are starting Thursday at a repurposed school in the neighboring town of Monroe, where the students desks have been taken along with backpacks and other belongings that were left behind in the chaos following the shooting on Dec. 14. Families have been coming in to see the new school, and an open house is scheduled for Wednesday.
His children, who escaped unharmed, ask questions about the gunman.
Its hard for us to say why, Connors said. Thats kind of what we tell them. This person wasnt well, was sick and didnt get the help he needed.
We want to get back to teaching and learning, she said. We will obviously take time out from the academics for any conversations that need to take place, and there will be a lot of support there. All in all, adult education we want the kids to reconnect with their friends and classroom teachers, and I think thats going to be the healthiest thing.
It will be important for parents and teachers to listen and be observant, Ford said.
Teachers will try to make it as normal a school day as possible for the children, schools Superintendent Janet Robinson said.
Connors said his children are excited to go back to school but predicted they might be nervous as the first day approaches. He hopes the grief counseling services continue, he said.
After the evacuation, teachers grouped their children at a nearby fire station,world education. Robinson said. One sang songs, while others read to the students, she said.
Now parents like David Connors are bracing to send their children back to school, nearly three weeks after the shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. It wont be easy for the parents or the children, who heard the gunshots that killed 20 of their classmates and six educators.
Im nervous about it, Connors said. Its unchartered waters for us. I know its going to be difficult.
