Last week, they began to settle into a routine of classes, homework, and final exams at a neighboring high school. The first few days at Chatfield High School were mostly spent reuniting with classmates and teachers and talking about the shootings April 20 in which 14 students and a teacher died. By the end of last week, signs of normalcy emerged. The girls' soccer team continued to practice, students performed in a concert, and seniors were preparing for a special graduation ceremony on May 22 at an outdoor concert hall.
Every day gets better.
On the morning of April 20, seniors Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris entered the school with explosives and guns, killing 12 students, a teacher, and themselves and causing extensive damage to the building. The district is now paying to beef up security for each of its 143 schools. And there will be long-term counseling needs for its 89,000 students and 11,000 staff members, as well as repairs to the Columbine High School building. The district's insurance is expected to cover part of the repair costs, which could include everything from mending walls to buying books ruined in the melee. Jefferson County school leaders had already planned budget cuts before the shootings.