If you walked through the halls of Apalachee High, it would look like any other school: teachers teaching, students learning.
But a year after two students and two teachers were killed in a shooting there, there’s still hurt and ongoing work to heal at the Barrow County school.
“You’re going to see students really involved in collaborating and wanting to learn,” said Principal Jessica Rehberg, “but at the end of the day, that takes a lot more energy than it did before because we’re sitting in trauma and grief.”
Credit: Photo courtesy Barrow County School District
Credit: Photo courtesy Barrow County School District
That’s why the district hired Kelcie Zimmer, a licensed master social worker who started her career in the Division of Family & Children Services, as its recovery coordinator. She’s the point person for all things healing after the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting. When she started in February, she said students and staff at the school were just trying to make it through.
“Where we are now at the start of a new school year is more healed in some ways and grieving in a higher capacity in other ways,” Zimmer said. “We have higher highs and lower lows right now compared to when I started because I think we’re less on autopilot and more sitting in the reality of where things are.”
The alleged shooter and his father are both facing dozens of charges related to the shooting. The trial for Colin Gray is on hold right now thanks to attorney scheduling conflicts. The alleged shooter is scheduled to have a plea hearing in October, although the judge overseeing both cases has said the plea hearing should only be held after Colin Gray’s trial has ended. Meanwhile, things at the school are slowly moving forward.
Zimmer is currently in talks with students and staff about what to do with J-Hall, the part of the school where the shooting took place. They’re considering whether to reopen the space as it was before, turn it into a memorial or convert it to something else. Zimmer is also helping to open a resiliency center — a one-stop shop in the community where people can access all the resources that already exist, from therapy to extra food on the weekends.
The school has planned “A Day of Prevailing Love” on Thursday with activities to honor those who died and facilitate healing. Some, though, are pushing Apalachee to cancel classes.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Road to recovery started 1 year ago
The Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High was the deadliest at a school in Georgia history. Apalachee joined the long list of U.S. schools where children and educators were killed by gunfire. On Wednesday, Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis became the latest school to face the horror of a mass shooting.
The Apalachee community immediately united in grief. Hours after the shooting, there was a tear-filled vigil at Jug Tavern Park near the school attended by about 300 people. The day after the shooting, some students and their families gathered at Apalachee High to reflect on what they saw and ask each other, “Why?”
At Ann’s Flower and Gift Shop, about 5 miles from the school in Winder, manager Paige Stinchcomb and her mother and the store’s owner, Sherry Miller, made blue bows — one of the school colors — to support the families of victims who were killed. “Pray for Apalachee,” read the sign outside the NAPA Auto Parts store and other Winder businesses. “Apalachee Strong” was another sign frequently posted around the community as Barrow residents filled churches where funerals were held for those who lost their lives in the shooting.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
The next task: how to recover. The school district closed all schools for three days after the shooting; Apalachee was closed for more than two weeks. Students attended school for shortened days until mid-October. Apalachee had additional counselors and allowed students to temporarily take classes remotely.
It hasn’t been a seamless process. In the aftermath, parents worried about whether school officials were doing enough, fast enough, to keep students safe. And in the first legislative session after the shooting, state lawmakers were unable to agree on whether to incentivize the safe storage of firearms. Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a bill requiring public schools to identify, assess and mitigate potential threats made by students and create plans to help students in need to get behavioral health support.
A new year
The Barrow County School District has instituted a list of mental health supports and safety upgrades since the shooting.
The school now has a dedicated space for students to take a break and calm down. There are two full-time therapists to support students and a third for the staff. The school is now home to three therapy dogs — Beau, Rally and Frankie — all stationed in different parts of the school. There have been lessons on social-emotional learning and resiliency for staff and students alike. Students and staff have participated in community service projects, with the idea that “helping is healing,” Zimmer said.
Credit: Photo courtesy Barrow County School District
Credit: Photo courtesy Barrow County School District
Last year, the recovery efforts were group ones. This year, the focus has turned to more individualized support. Zimmer’s first six months on the job were spent building rapport with everyone at the school so she would know who may need help but wouldn’t ask or who may have a bad reaction to news before it’s announced.
There have been safety changes, too. The school now uses weapons detectors, students must wear ID badges and staff use an app that prompts them to conduct security checks around the school. They’ve also added school resource officers and committed to fully funding them without support from the county. However, there are still safety concerns. A bullet was found inside a Barrow County middle school classroom last week.
Layla Renee Contreras, lead organizer of Change for Chee, an advocacy group focused on school system and statewide safety policies that was created after the shooting, said many in the community are still struggling with trauma.
“This year has been marked by grief, remembrance and slow steps toward healing,” she said. “We must honor that healing looks different for everyone, while never forgetting what our community endured.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the year, Zimmer wants to continue equipping people with the tools they need to feel better.
“I try not to get ahead of myself on what we need or don’t need because grief is just one of those weird things where some days it looks manageable and other days it doesn’t,” she said. “This happened, and life didn’t stop for people.”
Remembering the victims
Christian Angulo
Credit: File Photo
Credit: File Photo
The 14-year-old freshman was remembered by classmates as funny and laid back. His family described him as a gentle soul.
“He gave his father and me a hug. I will always carry that in my heart,” Christian’s mother, Emma, told Univision. “I will always cherish the final, tight embrace he gave me the night before the shooting.”
Ricky Aspinwall
Credit: File Photo
Credit: File Photo
The 39-year-old math teacher and the high school football team’s defensive coordinator, often called “Coach A,” was known for his deep religious faith.
“The newest assistant coach on God’s team,” Matt Tanner said during a memorial service for his childhood friend.
Ana Cristina Irimie
Credit: File Photo
Credit: File Photo
The 53-year-old math teacher and Romanian immigrant embraced her heritage. The day before she died, she baked a birthday cake for herself to share with her students to celebrate her belated birthday. She brought the cake and pizza to class the day of the school shooting.
“It doesn’t shock us that she died trying to save someone that she loved because that’s who she was,” said Gabrielle Buth, Irimie’s niece.
Mason Schermerhorn
Credit: File Photo
Credit: File Photo
Friends said Mason, 14, a freshman at the school, loved building things with Legos and the video game Kingdom Hearts. His father, Sheffron Devon Pollard, read a letter at the funeral apologizing for not being able to protect him.
“I am sorry I wasn’t there to protect you when you really needed me.”
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