Support resources and SRO assigned as Silver Rail Elementary reopens
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Students returned to Silver Rail Elementary Thursday for the first time since the October 15th shooting. The return follows facility repairs and the addition of support resources on campus.
Earlier this week, families walked through the school after repairs were completed in impacted areas to help parents and students get reacquainted.
Mental health support and additional law enforcement personnel are now on site to assist the school community.
To maintain safety without creating an overwhelming environment, the Bend Police Department assigned a school resource officer to campus for the remainder of the school year.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz explained the department’s strategy for law enforcement presence on campus.
“We have an SRO that we assigned to the school for the remainder of the school year, to really provide a visibility and a comfort,” Krantz said. “And the other thing we’re working on is really trying to have just one police presence. We don’t want to overwhelm the school. We want it to feel somewhat normal when people come back and readjust back into the school environment.”
Mental health resources have also been deployed through Deschutes County. Holly Harris, health services director for Deschutes County, detailed the assistance provided to the community.
“From within hours of the incident happening, we have been providing resources to the school, the community, staff and anyone who’s been in need,” Harris said. “And we’ve served more than 2000 people up to this point and will continue to do so. We have supports available on site at the school and in collaboration with the school district. And we’ll continue to offer those resources as long as needed.”
Students were scheduled for a half-day session for their first day back. They are scheduled to have their first full day of classes Friday.
School leaders stated they will continue working with the Silver Rail community on support efforts and developing a long-term plan for the classroom where the tragedy occurred.
For transparency with our community, KTVZ News was invited to attend the designated media area by Bend-La Pine Schools on Thursday morning. To respect the privacy of the Silver Rail community, KTVZ did not go on school grounds and ensured no families, students, or staff were filmed; we vacated the vicinity ahead of the arrival of families.
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