Abbotsford Senior Secondary School will reopen its doors Monday to students for the first time since Tuesday’s tragic stabbing, and parents and staff are preparing for the slow transition back into a normal routine.
The school will be open for a half day, to allow students the chance to ease back into school life slowly. They will begin the day in the classrooms they were in when the attacks unfolded, in order to be together and start to reclaim their school. There are no plans for regular instruction during that time.
School officials told parents about Monday’s plans during an open forum at the school Friday night, while students held a candlelight vigil in honour of deceased victim Letisha Reimer and her injured friend, who remains in hospital and has yet to be identified.
FULL COVERAGE: Abbotsford Senior Secondary School stabbing
The forum also included members of Abbotsford Police, the school district, crisis counselling and mental health specialists, and Abbotsford mayor Henry Braun, who stressed the importance of students being in a safe space together in the days ahead.
“Students, when they’re together in community, can talk about their feelings, how they feel,” said Braun. “Parents need to do this too, so students can understand where their parents are at. Because this is difficult for everyone.”
WATCH: Reporter Kristen Robinson has more on how the community is helping traumatized staff and students back to school as others who’ve gone through a similar ordeal offer words of advice.
In addition to learning how the school will handle the transition, parents were also briefed on how best to talk to their children at home, and set them on the road to recovery.
“They’ve given us clues on how to talk to our children, as well as the different things we should be focusing on,” said Kathleen Palmer, a parent of a student at the school. “Making sure they’re eating right, making sure they’re sleeping, and if they’re very quiet just try to draw them out slowly.”
Parents also learned during the forum that Cheri Lovre, a crisis specialist with extensive experience in dealing with tragic school events, will be in the school throughout the week and will be available to any students who wish to talk about the incident.
The Abbotsford School Board has released a list of resources for parents and students on their website to help with the weeks ahead. They include quick tips on what students can do to feel safe in their school again, and other info provided by community mental health professionals.