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Newtown students' emotional return to school yesterday ; CNN's Sandra Endo reports: 'teachers and students spent time to reflect'
Newtown, Connecticut continues to mourn today. Four more funerals will be held as Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher Vicki Soto, and slain students Daniel Barden, Caroline Previdi and Charlotte Bacon are laid to rest. Funerals for six-year-olds Jessica Rekos and James Mattioli were held yesterday, when all Newtown students except those from Sandy Hook returned to school. Sandy Hook kids will resume classes in a neighboring town after the winter break. CNN’s Sandra Endo tells us more.
Children returning to classes Tuesday carried with them the painful reminder of the tragedy at Sandy Hook. “At schools, teachers and students spent time to reflect,” Endo says. “For students at Sandy Hook Elementary, the next time they'll return to class will be in the new year. Newtown's superintendent says teachers and students need more time to deal with the trauma and get used to a new space in a neighboring town.”
Many parents believe, however, that returning to the routine of school is essential to overcoming the tragedy for everyone. “You want to be brave and get back into things as normal as possible,” mother-of-three Melanie Drohan says. “We realize that we have to go on, but it’s…hard to think about what happened.”
I wanted the nation to know, that Philip Phillips, singer of "Home", from American Idol was contacted, as it was Charlotte Bacon's favorite song and played at her funeral yesterday. Just a week before her death, she and her Mom were singing this song, "at the to of their lungs" in the car together. We were able to get a hold of him, touring overseas and contacted the family, saying that "Home" will forever be Charlotte Helen Bacon's song. A touching FB post was sent to the family from Mr. Phillips. Thank you, Mr. Philips. A congregation of mourners sang your song at the top of their lungs for Charlotte yesterday and you will never know how much you reaching out to the family has meant to them. You will forever hold a special place in this communities' hearts. Peace and Love.