A TWO HOUR DELAY TODAY. HEARTS ARE HEAVY FOR SO MANY STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND TEACHERS ALL ACROSS THE REGION AFTER YESTERDAY’S SWATTING CALLS. NOW, HOPEWELL SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE ON A TWO HOUR DELAY TODAY, BUT THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS IT’S UP TO PARENTS IF THEY WANT TO SEND THEIR STUDENTS BACK INSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. AS BUSSES ROLLED IN AND CARS PULLED UP, WE SAW OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF SOME STUDENTS TRYING TO RETURN BACK TO SOME SORT OF NORMALCY. SEE MANY OTHERS LIKE MICHELLE MILLER’S DAUGHTER, ARE TAKING THE DAY OFF. MY DAUGHTER IS SHAKEN TO THE CORE. SHE’S NOT AT SCHOOL TODAY. HOPEWELL ONLY OFFERED A TWO HOUR DELAY. SO I CHOSE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN STAY AT HOME, TAKE IT, TAKE A DAY TO PROCESS THIS. MANY PARENTS CHOSE TO DO THE SAME, SOME SAYING A TWO HOUR DELAY WASN’T ENOUGH TIME FOR THEIR STUDENT TO RECOVER. IN A LETTER TO PARENTS DISTRICT SUPER INTENDANT, DR. JEFFREY BELT SAID HE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF SUGGESTIONS FROM PARENTS. BUT ULTIMATELY THE DISTRICT LEAVING IT UP TO EACH PARENT TO DECIDE IF THEY WERE COMFORTABLE SENDING THEIR STUDENTS BACK INSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. HIS LETTER SAYING IN PART, QUOTE, SOME STUDENTS NEED THE STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT THAT OUR BUILDINGS AND OUR STAFF PROVIDE, WHILE OTHER STUDENTS MAY NEED TO REMAIN AT HOME WITH SUPPORT FROM FAMILIES. IT IS WITH MUTUAL RESPECT TO PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH BOTH OPTIONS TO SELECT, WHICH IS BEST FOR THEIR FAMILY. AS FOR THE MILLER FAMILY, MICHELLE SAYS HER DAUGHTER WILL RELUCTANTLY GO BACK TOMORROW. BUT IT WON’T BE EASY. I’M AFRAID EVERY DAY THAT I HAVE MY DAUGHTER GO TO SCHOOL, IT’S NOT FUNNY TO JOKE ABOUT THIS. I HOPE THEY CATCH THE PERSON OR PEOPLE INVOLVED. NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THE DISTRICT DID HAVE EXTRA POLICE ON SCENE HERE AT THE SCHOOL TODAY TO ENSURE THAT THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO DID RETURN TO THE BUILDING FELT SAFE IN DOING SO. THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS THERE ARE ALSO COUNSELORS ON HAND FOR ANYONE WHO MIGHT NEED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY REPORTING FROM HOPEWE