Perry city and school district leaders reflected Friday on the shock and sorrow that followed Thursday’s horrific act of gun violence at Perry High School.
“Our grief is immeasurable as we understand lives are forever changed and our community will never be the same,” said Perry Community School District (PCSD) Superintendent Clark Wicks. “Our thoughts are with the sixth-grade student who was killed and Principal Dan Marburger and the four students who are recovering from their injuries. We keep them and their families in our prayers.”
Wicks was joined at the media briefing by Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh, Heartland Area Education Agency (AEA) Clinical Social Worker Stacey Warren and Tyson Fresh Meats Chaplain Gus Henrici.
“We are deeply appreciative of law enforcement, first responders from Perry and the entire state as they responded in a rapid and highly coordinated manner,” Cavanaugh said. “We are a small town, but we will pull together in a big way to get through this.”
Wicks announced that there will be no classes for high school students next week, and elementary and middle school students will not return to class until Friday at the earliest. Updates to this timeline will be shared directly with parents and guardians and on the PCSD website, he said.
Although the schools will be closed, a grab-and-go lunch will be available for pick up at the Perry Elementary School from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day, Wicks said.
Warren said many resources are available as people begin the process of healing over the next weeks. She said the PCSD, city of Perry, Heartland AEA and community mental health providers have been working together to support school staff and students with the following services:
- Assessing and supporting immediate needs of students, staff and school community.
- Supportive sessions for school staff by trained Critical Incident Stress Management counselors.
- Counselors for school staff and students as well as referrals to community resources as needed.
- Referral resources for students, parents and school community members are being shared in sessions.
“The staff, students and community of Perry are resilient,” Wicks said. “We will walk through this difficult time together and focus on the hope and promise of the future.”
Anyone in need of mental-health support will find resources available at:
Crisis Intervention and Advocacy Center 24-Hour Helpline: 1-800-550-0004
Your Life Iowa: 855-581-8111
Text NAMI to 741-741
A fund has been set up at Racoon Valley Bank for monetary donations under the Perry School Foundation. Anyone interested in making other types of donations should email joyce.scott@g.perry.k12.ia.us.
I would like to point out that this is blaming an inanimate object by saying “gun violence.” This is a people issue and mental health issue, not an object that is no good without the person behind it.