Extra Police Present At Joppatowne HS As Kids Return To Class, Bags Not Allowed

JOPPATOWNE, MD — Tenth- through 12th-grade students began returning to class Thursday after Joppatowne High School had been closed for three days following the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Warren Curtis Grant in a school bathroom.

To help improve safety in the building, deputies from the Harford County Sheriff's Office wearing their easily identifiable uniforms, in addition to the assigned school resource officer, were on hand for the first day back in the classroom. Extra school staff wore orange vests to help identify them as they wove through hallways, classrooms and the cafeteria, "so they can easily spot who is supposed to be in the building and who is here to help," said teacher Erica Richardson in a video shared with students' families and guardians.

Grief counselors and additional support staff are on hand this week at the school.

Students returning to Joppatowne High School this week cannot bring bookbags, backpacks and large purses to schools. Those who bring bags large enough to hold a laptop or book will be stopped and searched, and the bags confiscated until a parent or guardian can pick up the bag, said school Principal Melissa Williams.

She described these additional safety measures in a video.

New lockers will be installed next week that are bigger and larger bags must be stored inside lockers instead of carried around the building. Students who do not abide by the new safety guidelines will be searched and potentially face disciplinary action, Williams said.

Realizing that students may still struggle with being back in school, teachers have mapped out flexible lessons plans for the week, Richardson noted.

“We want our students to be able to process and decompress throughout the day. We also want students who are ready to continue with their instruction to be able to do so," Richardson said.

Upperclass students returning to school Thursday will have a three-hour early dismissal. All students will return Friday with another three-hour early dismissal. The school plans to be back to its regular hours for all students Monday.

“We are all grieving,” Richardson said in the video. “But by coming together as a community, we can grieve together and support one another.”

Harford County deputies arrested 16-year-old Jaylen Prince shortly after they say he killed Grant in a first floor school bathroom during a fight between the two that broke out Friday, Sept. 6. It was Prince's first day at the school even though school had started earlier that week. Prince made his first appearance in court Monday where a judge denied bail.

A GoFundMe has been created for Grant's family, hosted by the Brandon Tolson Foundation.

Related:

• National Foundation Hosts GoFundMe For 15-Year-Old Joppatowne High School Shooting Victim
• Teen Charged With Murder After Joppatowne High School Shooting
• Student Fatally Shot At Joppatowne HS Identified, Teen Suspect Faces Adult Charges
• Teen School Shooting Suspect Denied Bail, Return To School Delayed At Joppatowne High
• Schools Closed As Community Mourns Student's Fatal Shooting, Counseling Available