ST. LOUIS — Principal Frederick Steele called it a “quiet celebration†Monday as most students and staff returned to Collegiate School of Medicine & Bioscience five weeks after a deadly shooting on the campus.
Parents and teachers lined the red carpet with balloons and signs welcoming students back to the school near Tower Grove Park. Inside, students were greeted with doughnuts and colorful posters from children in other city schools.
Armed guards and additional counselors were assigned to the school, where classes will dismiss two hours early this week to ease the transition from virtual learning.
“It was a warm welcome,†said senior Maleka Taaj, 18, after school let out. “It was good to be back and just see the teachers.â€
On Oct. 24, a former student at Central Visual and Performing Arts high school shot and killed P.E. teacher Jean Kuczka, 61, and student Alexzandria Bell, 15, and wounded six others.
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Central, which shares a campus with Collegiate, is not expected to reopen until January. Windows and doors in the school buildings have been fortified, along with other renovations to fix damage from the shooting.
About 10% of Collegiate’s 300 students chose to continue livestreaming their classes from home, Steele said.
All of the staff decided to return to the building Monday.
“We’re all itching to be back together, seeing friends and learning together,†Steele said.
Students attended four classes on Monday at the magnet school, one of the top-performing high schools in Missouri. In first period, all of the teachers gave students a chance to talk about the tragedy if they were comfortable.
“It was good to see people, but it does feel a little strange being back in the building,†said junior Judah Taylor, 16. “It’s a mixed bag.â€
After school, parents stood across the street, anxiously awaiting their children. One mom who asked not to be identified said she had been nervously checking her phone all day.
It was important to have as normal a day as possible, the principal said, adding that he had a three-point plan for navigating the return to school. Staff were prepared to be genuine, be aware of signs of mental health challenges and acknowledge the diversity of students’ lingering trauma from that day.
Overall, the goal was to show the “relief and reality that we’re here to support them,†said Superintendent Kelvin Adams of St. Louis Public Schools. “This is a tragedy we can’t imagine the kids went through.â€
Updated at 2:45 p.m. Monday
