WINDER, Ga. — Tuesday marked the first time students at Apalachee High School returned to class since a devastating shooting three weeks ago that left four dead and nine others injured. Students attended a half-day, but for many, including 15-year-old Natalie Griffith, the memory of the tragic day remains fresh.
The teen, who was shot twice during the attack, talked to 11Alive about her first day back and the changes she hopes to see regarding school safety moving forward. Her mother also shared her sentiments about her daughter's return to school.
“I was a little worried, and I cried a little bit over there when I went to pick her up,” said Natalie’s mother, Marilda Griffith. “You just relive that moment. You relive what she went through.”
Natalie, who was hospitalized after being shot in the arm, has been recovering steadily. Her father previously told 11Alive she temporarily lost the ability to use her wrist, but Tuesday, Natalie was eager to return to some semblance of normal.
“It felt good to be back,” Natalie Griffith said. “There were a lot of dogs—Great Danes, Golden Retrievers. It helped a lot.”
School officials took extra steps to ease the transition back to class, including placing therapy dogs throughout the school and altering the appearance of the hallway where the shooting occurred.
“There’s just a big wall with the Apalachee ‘A’ on it now, so it’s pretty much like looking at a blank wall,” Natalie Griffith described.
While the return to class marked a step toward healing, safety remains a top concern for Marilda Griffith and other parents. Law enforcement officers, including state troopers, were present on campus today, but Marilda Griffith believes more needs to be done to ensure student safety.
“Clear bags might be a good way to make sure kids aren’t carrying too much stuff,” she suggested. “I don’t have all the answers, but I hope the district listens to us.”
Marilda Griffith added that while the Barrow County School District has been supportive, additional precautions are necessary.
“If safety isn’t first, then what can you really learn?” she said.
For now, Apalachee High students will continue to process and heal as they navigate their new normal. Both Natalie Griffith and her mother hope that moving forward, the school will take stronger steps to protect its students from future harm.