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Georgia's Apalachee High School set to reopen weeks after deadly shooting

The reopening will begin with half days.
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Apalachee High School in Georgia is set to reopen weeks after a deadly shooting left four dead on campus.

The school said it will open its doors beginning with half days from Sept. 24 to Oct. 4. Students will report to school at 8:15 a.m. with shortened class periods, and be dismissed at 12:40 p.m.

Students will return to a full-time schedule after fall break on Oct. 14.

The school has been shut down since Sept. 4 when a 14-year-old student at the school opened fire, killing two students and two teachers and wounding nine others. Officials charged him as an adult on four counts of felony murder.

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When classes return, the building will reopen with an increased law enforcement presence. Additional counselors, therapy dogs and other resources will also be available.

J Hall, where the shooting occurred, will be inaccessible and remain closed for the rest of the school year.

Because of that closure, all social studies classes will now be held in a nearby Barrow County School System building, where buses will transport students to and from that location. This measure is temporary until new classroom pods arrive, likely by January 2025.

The school said it will hold an open house a day prior to reopening on Sept. 23, to welcome back families.

“Please remember, our counselors are available to offer guidance, support, and resources tailored to help students navigate this transition,” the school said. “Thank you for your patience, understanding, and trust. We are all in this together, and we will continue to support one another.”

In addition to the gunman, his father, 54-year-old Colin Gray, was also charged in connection to the shooting. He gifted his son the AR-style weapon used in the incident, which came months after authorities paid his son a visit last year to investigate online threats.

The father was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.

An investigation remains ongoing.

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