School Where 6-Year-Old Shoots Teacher Reopens With New Safety Protocols in Place

Nearly a month after a 6-year-old shoots teacher, Richneck Elementary School has reopened with new safety protocols.

It's back to school at Richneck Elementary, Newport News, Virginia, Monday, and students walked through the campus and into their classrooms with new safety protocols.

Several police officers were on campus to welcome anxious parents as they dropped their excited kids off.

Newport News Police Chief Steve R. Drew told CNN that he was happy to see a lot of smiles, high-fives, and fist bumps between students as their main goal was to restore normalcy. He did not mention the number of officers he placed in position on the school campus, just that he wanted the parents, the students, and the school to know they were supporting them.

Families were emailed beforehand by newly-appointed school administrator Karen Lynch that police officers would be present in the school to "assist with the transition."

The grandmother of a third grader, DeDe Williams, described the first day as "overwhelming." She expressed that it was sad to see all the police officers inside an elementary school, but it made her feel secure that they were there, taking the safety and protection of their children seriously.

Clear backpacks, metal detectors, and fewer visitors

In the same email that Lynch gave the parents, students were also instructed to arrive at school without a backpack. The school provided them with clear ones when they arrived at school.

For lunch items brought to school, families were assured that they would be run through a metal detector and be subject to search. The school district stated that two metal detectors are available on the campus, and there are now two security officers instead of one part-time.

Moreover, the email also said that visitors would be limited for the first week of instruction. This is to allow teachers and staff "the opportunity to establish routines and procedures" with their students. Parents are not allowed to enter the classrooms, but those who want to walk their kids to class must be prepared to show identification and offer to be searched.

Thomas Britton, the father of one of the classmates of the 6-year-old who allegedly shot his teacher, expressed "no misgivings" about allowing his son back to Richneck Elementary.

"I think with new administration, this administration that listens to teachers, listens to concerns and acts on those concerns ... this is probably going to be the safest school in the area for a good long while," Britton confidently declared.

The classroom where the shooting incident happened has been closed, The Washington Post reported.

Students of Abigail Zwerner, the teacher who was shot and injured, were placed in another classroom with freshly painted walls and decorations. According to spokeswoman Michelle Price, they are now under a new teacher.

New protocols and a new administration

Marleigh Parham, a fourth-grader, said that she was relieved to find that her school looks the same to her, even with the new metal detectors and therapy dogs walking back and forth in classrooms and hallways.

Parham said that the school felt excellent and safe, finding comfort in the familiar setting.

The January 6 Richneck Elementary school shooting is currently still under investigation. As of last week, Zwerner's attorney Diane Toscano stated that the school's administration was warned three times on the day of the shooting. Allegedly, a concerned staff informed administrators that the six-year-old student had a gun and was threatening other students. However, the administration "was paralyzed by apathy," according to Greenwich Time. Thus, they failed to call the police, remove the kid from class and lock the school down.

Toscano further stressed in a news conference that the tragedy could have been prevented if the school administrators had taken action when they were given warnings of danger. Zwerner intends to sue over the shooting, her lawyer also stated.

On Monday, new school administrators welcomed parents and students as the assistant principal was reassigned to a different school while school district superintendent George Parker III was ousted last week.