The Healing Goes On

Last week was a busy week for me between doctor's appointments, visits to nursing homes and on three days I was involved in activities at my grandsons' school-Sandy Hook Elementary.

We are  about six weeks from the three year anniversary of the tragedy at Sandy Hook.  They have been a very difficult three years for many people who were at the school at that time.  Several of the faculty have requested and received transfers to other schools.  Some people have left the district to teach at schools in other towns.  But as I was making my way to my grandson's second grade class, I encountered the kindergartners walking through the school in costume.  All the other classes were sitting in the halls watching them, laughing and having a good time. 

There's no question that the climate of the school has changed dramatically. Most everyone has successfully moved on and returned to as close to normal as one could reasonably expect.  It was good to see.

Next year will present a new set of challenges with the opening of the new Sandy Hook School on its original site.  The good news however is the children will be excited about it and with the possible exception of some of the fourth graders, they will not make any connections to what happened.  It will just be an exciting new school for them.  There will no doubt be a few more staffers who will request transfers (thus far the district policy is to allow all such requests).  I know of at least two people who will be retiring.  For the rest-life goes on.