Woodstock principal describes emergency response

Early Thursday morning, William Sebring got the news no high school principal wants to hear. A Woodstock High School student had stolen guns from his home and run away. Police feared the weapons would end up on campus.

“I’ve played the scenario in my mind 100 times,” said Sebring, who is in his third year as a principal of the Cherokee County school.

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Bob Andres / bandres@ajc.com

This handgun was found hidden at Woodstock High School on Thursday.

Related links:

• Blog: How well do you know your teen?
• Cell phones help keep parents, students calm
• PDF: Woodstock High letter to parents and students
• Photos from the scene
• Video
• Guns fact sheet

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But this time, the situation was very real. By the time Sebring arrived at his school Thursday, police from four jurisdictions were already on campus. Shortly before 8 a.m., the campus was put on lockdown, about a half hour before the first bell rings. Later that morning, police had two teenagers in custody, and all of the guns accounted for.

Forrest Busby, 17, remains in the Cherokee County jail Friday. An unidentified 15-year-old boy is in the Paulding Youth Detention Center.

By Friday morning, the school was returning to normal, Sebring said.

About 200 students didn’t show up for school, but that’s not unusual for a Friday.

The scene was very different Thursday, when parents flooded to the school to pick up students, who had spent the morning in dark classrooms or in the school auditorium. Although the students aren’t usually allowed to have their cell phones visible, many teachers allowed them to send text messages to parents.

Jordan Rike, a senior, spent the first two hours of the school day Thursday in the auditorium, where she let her mom know she was OK via text messages.

“We were in contact all morning,” said Elle Rike, who arrived at the school just after 11 a.m. to pick up her daughter.

While many parents did come to the school to get students, Sebring said others just wanted to stop in and see their children, before sending them back to class.

All Thursday absences will be excused.

“I would never stop someone from checking out their child,” he said.

Because the building opens at 7 a.m., many students and teachers were already inside Thursday. Some older students who drive to school had to remain in the student parking lot if they arrived after the lockdown began.

As the 80 school buses arrived on campus, some students were led directly into the school, while others stayed on buses during the lockout.

The principal said the school would review its emergency plans in the wake of the incident.

PTSA president Valerie King said Thursday she is confident in the school’s ability to respond to emergencies during the school day. She believes there should be a plan for emergencies during drop off and pick up times.

“I want to know, as a representative of the parents, that there is an [emergency] plan during drop off and pick up time,” she said. “That’s the most chaotic time during the school day.”

In all fairness to school officials, she said, “The school is huge. There was a lot of miscommunication. Teachers were telling parents everything was fine.”

Sebring says his staff responded well to Thursday’s crisis.

The student who ran away from home never made it into the school. As soon as he stepped off the bus, he was immediately questioned. Information he provided led police to the unloaded handgun in a restroom, which 17-year-old suspect Busby allegedly brought to campus.

The lockdown remained in place until policed located two rifles and ammunition at Busby’s home, Sebring said.

“At the end of the day, everyone went home to mom and dad,” he said.