Skittishness, sadness as local schools open

An edginess was palpable as schools opened this morning for the first time since Friday's shooting rampage in Connecticut.

In Upper Dublin, Montgomery County, the high school entered lockdown and police converged at the scene when a student entered in the morning with a black umbrella.

Security apparently thought it resembled a rifle.

While that might have been a more extreme case of the jumpiness many felt, the rampage in Newtown clearly had an impact.

Two school districts in western Pennsylvania were able to get court orders to arm officers in their schools effective immediately.

More locally, at Wayne Elementary School, Principal Anthony Rybarczyk has been a teacher and administrator in the region for 21 years. He is also a father.

"I have four kids," Rybarczyk, of Upper Perkiomen, said shortly after the school opened today. His seven-year-old son heard of the Newtown tragedy on the school bus and the two talked over the weekend.

"I told him the teachers and principals try to do everything to keep kids safe but there are no guarantees," he said Monday morning.

Rybarczyk said he stayed away from talking about guns and killing and focused on keeping the families and children in their prayers.

Rybarczyk also sent a letter out to the parents at his school in which he mentioned Robbie Parker, the father of one of the victims and his wish the tragedy not define them but instead inspire them to be better.

"There are no guarantees in life, as we have learned from this horrendous event, but we can help our children to grow and become compassionate and humble members of society," Rybarczyk said in his letter.

He invited parents to sign one of the sympathy cards at the front desk that will be sent to the Newtown School District at the end of the week. In memory of those who died, there is a vase of 26 roses at the front desk.

And the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District posted a message on its website, expressing "sorrow for all those affected by Friday's tragedy in Connecticut."

The message said counselors will be available to students should they have needs in processing the events of this tragedy.