Gov. Greg Abbott visited Santa Fe High School where students returned to class for the first time since a gunman killed 10 people.
The Republican mentioned his visit Tuesday in a tweet. At Santa Fe High School, he spoke with students, parents, teachers and staff, and presented first responders with a commendation. Abbott included photos of himself wearing a green Santa Fe T-shirt and addressing a school assembly held shortly after the school reopened.
On Wednesday, Abbott plans to announce proposals aimed at curbing future attacks.
Visited Santa Fe High School this morning to speak with students, parents, teachers, and staff, and present first responders with a Governor's commendation for their actions. #SantaFeStrong pic.twitter.com/oj7QxHWOhS
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) May 29, 2018
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Eleven days after the shooting that killed eight students and two teachers at Santa Fe High School classes are back in session.
Students from the neighboring Alvin school district arrived on school buses holding signs of support. Others from the community lined the highway to the school.
The shooting happened less than two weeks before the end of the school year. “There is never a good time for a crisis, and we know this especially affects graduating seniors,” Santa Fe High School posted on its website. Thursday is the last day of the school year, and graduation is Friday.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever be ready to go back to school,” senior Kaitlyn Richards told CNN affiliate KTRK. “But I don’t want that last day to be my last memory of my senior year. I just want to know I can see all my classmates once again.”
To ensure continuity of service, the current Family Assistance Center will transition to the Santa Fe Strong Resiliency Center on Wed., May 30. The center will continue to operate at Aldersgate United Methodist Church 13217 FM1764, Santa Fe. See more:https://t.co/zVQfyN0t29
— Santa Fe ISD (@SantaFeISD) May 29, 2018
Students and staff from @AlvinHSJackets are welcoming and encouraging Santa Fe High School students and teachers as they return to school this morning. pic.twitter.com/DhDnwxtsBg
— AlvinISD (@AlvinISD) May 29, 2018
Lidia Cleveland’s son is among those going back to school today. Though she offered to walk into the school with him, he wanted to go on his own. “It’s going to be tough, coming back for the first time,” Cleveland told the Houston Chronicle. “But he needs to face it and try to move on.”
Students were to gather at 10 a.m. local time for an assembly to honor those who died, according to WFAA, an ABC affiliate in Dallas. Some changes have been made to the building and security protocols, the station reports: “There will only be one entrance and one exit at the school. Walls have been built to close off classrooms effected by the shooting. … Students will need identification to enter the school and will allowed to bring one parent or legal guardian. There will be additional law enforcement on hand for the remainder of the year and students are not allowed to carry backpacks or large purses.”
“There’s going to be a lot of crying, you know?” Santa Fe senior Annabelle O’Day told WFAA. “I don’t know if I am prepared for it. I won’t be able to tell you if I’m prepared for it until I walk into that school.”
COMING TOGETHER: @AlvinISD students are lining the streets outside Santa Fe HS to show support for those returning to campus after the May 18 shooting | @JeffEhlingABC13 spoke to some of those students about their show of solidarity https://t.co/F4hJEJA3cr #SantaFeStrong pic.twitter.com/xfiaYLIUEx
— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) May 29, 2018
Students and staff from @AlvinHSJackets made signs and woke up early to welcome Santa Fe ISD students back to school. pic.twitter.com/CmVESRRheg
— AlvinISD (@AlvinISD) May 29, 2018
Students at Santa Fe High School are returning to class for the first time since a mass shooting there that killed eight students and two substitute teachers.
Before classes resumed Tuesday morning, people stood along the road in front of Santa Fe High School holding up signs that said, “Santa Fe Strong” and “United We Stand.”
The Santa Fe Independent School District said additional law enforcement officers will be at the school to provide security for students as they wrap up the school year this week.
Authorities have charged student Dimitrios Pagourtzis with capital murder in the May 18 attack. Investigators said Pagourtzis used a shotgun and pistol that belonged to his father.
Pagourtzis remains jailed without bond in Galveston.
Staff and students supporting our neighbors in Santa Fe this morning as they return. #jacketpride #bestsign pic.twitter.com/G084oNhXTx
— Alvin HS (Official) (@AlvinHSJackets) May 29, 2018
Our staff and students were up early this morning and ready to head to Santa Fe to welcome junior high and high school students back for their last week of school. Heartfelt thank you to all who showed up this morning to support our Santa Fe ISD neighbor... https://t.co/NfDACzpqnE pic.twitter.com/DRMahsW3vA
— Alvin HS (Official) (@AlvinHSJackets) May 29, 2018
Kelsey Purcell made this sign yesterday. The 21-year-old graduated from Alvin High in 2015. "Having this happen so close to home, I wanted to come and show support. There's so much hate in the world, I just wanted to show they are loved." pic.twitter.com/XP1eBU3HVV
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) May 29, 2018
Here at Santa Fe High School, where students are returning for the first time since a 17-year-old gunman killed 10 and wounded 13 on May 18. pic.twitter.com/sFQoWHTKVM
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) May 29, 2018
A long line of students are waiting outside of the #SantaFeHighSchool to get in this morning – it's due to a safety measure admins are taking by having only one way in and out of the school for now. #khou11 pic.twitter.com/l4TPGpGh2r
— Janel Forte (@JanelKHOU) May 29, 2018
Santa Fe students face emotional return to school today https://t.co/82eUySw58B pic.twitter.com/JrGmVmZ9Da
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 29, 2018
Some of our Fillies got up early and headed to Santa Fe HS to welcome students back to campus #SantaFeStrong ๐๐ pic.twitter.com/OyZq50ZYDy
— Kingwood Fillies (@KingwoodFillies) May 29, 2018
Supporters line Highway 6 to welcome Santa Fe students back to school https://t.co/PcMatR0rUi pic.twitter.com/Oapi381Abw
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 29, 2018
Teens line Highway 6 to welcome back Santa Fe students back to school https://t.co/UPk3YqUB4o pic.twitter.com/bUrHZhBnKf
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 29, 2018
Santa Fe students return to school for first time since shooting. https://t.co/F8uspM0twR pic.twitter.com/VQBqs09vnh
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) May 29, 2018
Thank you for the support @AlvinHSJackets ! #SFStrong pic.twitter.com/UchN5IA9V8
— Santa Fe ISD (@SantaFeISD) May 26, 2018
Proud of our @AlvinHSJackets that woke up early to show love and care for students in Santa Fe ISD. We can all learn from your example! pic.twitter.com/4rwgvS5zUn
— Buck Gilcrease (@SupeGilcrease) May 29, 2018
Several people along Highway 6 to show support for students returning to Santa Fe High School pic.twitter.com/A6CjMxBe2v
— Madeleine Rivera (@MRiveraFoxNews) May 29, 2018
As students and staff return to school in Santa Fe, schools around the country are trying to find ways to avoid school shootings.
Cissy Perez is on the board at the Texas School Safety Center. She said when she asked students what they need, students recommended more counselors in schools.
"That came up quite a bit. Because our counselors are so inundated with academics or trying to get our students graduated that it's very difficult to have time to recognize warning signs in students," Perez said.
Perez said students are eager for other ways to let out their anxieties.
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Pop star Justin Timberlake made a surprise visit to a Santa Fe survivor as she recovers from her wounds in a hospital.
Sarah Salazar was among the more than two dozen injured in the Santa Fe High School. Her mother, Sonia Lopez-Puentes, shared on Facebook a photo that shows Timberlake wearing a medical gown and rubber gloves as he poses next to a smiling Salazar in her hospital room last Friday.
According to an online fundraiser for Salazar, the teenager suffered a broken jaw and will need shoulder replacement surgery after the shooting.
๐ | Justin Timberlake visited victims of the school shooting in Santa Fe. #SantaFeStrong pic.twitter.com/VeMvuoQwIy
— ใ คjustin pics (@jtimberlakepics) May 25, 2018
"We dedicate this show to Santa Fe High School." –@jtimberlake #SantaFeStrong pic.twitter.com/1CLYTXiXjK
— Toyota Center (@ToyotaCenter) May 26, 2018
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