Sandy Hook Elementary students return to class Thursday morning for the first time since 20 first-graders and six women were killed in the Newtown shooting rampage almost three weeks ago.
School buses and cars will shuttle elementary students to nearby Chalk Hill Middle School in the nearby town of Monroe, Connecticut —now renamed "Sandy Hook Elementary"— where security has been ramped up for days.
“I think, right now, it has to be the safest school in America,” said Monroe police Lt. Keith White.
Police said they are stopping every vehicle that goes onto the campus and interviewing the people inside. Several security devices have been installed and police will remain at the scene until further notice.
On Dec. 14, gunman Adam Lanza, 20, killed his mother then drove to Sandy Hook Elementary, forced his way into the Newtown school, and killed 20 children and six educators before taking his own life as authorities closed in.
During an open house at the new Sandy Hook on Wednesday, parent Vinny Alvarez thanked his daughter Cynthia's third grade teacher for protecting her class during the rampage. The teacher, Courtney Martin, locked her classroom door and had the children huddle in a corner of the room, The Associated Press reported.
"I'm not worried about her going back," Alvarez told the AP of his daughter. "The fear kind of kicks back in a little bit, but we're very excited for her and we got to see many, many kids today. The atmosphere was very cheerful."
Besides security, making the school comfortable and welcoming for students has also been a top priority for school officials. Janet Robinson, superintendent of schools in Newtown, said 80 people have been working to get the school ready for Thursday.
"Right now, Chalk Hill has been transformed from a middle school to a very cheerful, nurturing elementary school,” Robinson said.
Furniture has been moved from the old building and the building will be decorated like a winter wonderland, filled with snowflakes people from around the world sent to the Connecticut PTSA to help make the students feel welcome.
“The students coming in completes the circle,” Robinson said. "That's what's missing right now, is getting our students back."
Former principal Donna Page will lead the school and Robinson called this a “Godsend” to help the transition process.
Some of the set-up looks just like it did at Sandy Hook, but there will also be differences.
"Teachers were creative in setting up the rooms, and some of them are very different,” Robinson said.
The school will also accommodate parents who want to go into the school Thursday, Robinson said.
Teachers and staff were at the school on Wednesday morning and were visited by Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy before the open house, the AP reported.
Several students and parents have already visited and the children were thrilled with the gymnasium, which is much larger than the one at their former school, White said.