PERRY, Iowa — With a lot of emotions running through the tight-knit community in Perry, students are headed back into the classrooms.
The Perry Community School District is rolling out their return plan for students nearly three weeks after the deadly school shooting.
Perry Elementary School students returned to classes Wednesday, Jan. 24, while Perry Middle School students will return Thursday, Jan. 25.
Elementary students were excited to get back to school and see their friends, but middle school students are more emotional and nervous to come back.
"I'm probably having more of a panic attack than she probably is, but I know she's very nervous about going back tomorrow cause there's always just that 'what if,'" said Christen Durlam, a Perry Middle School parent.
Perry Middle School held their open house Wednesday night ahead of the reopening, allowing students and parents to interact with teachers, meet with counseling services and get treats from the school.
"It felt very cheerful, but you still kind of feel still a little eerie in there," Durlam said.
"Going inside of the school actually made me feel welcome and safe, so I'm ready for my daughter to come back and return," said Dekyndra Holden, another Perry Middle School parent. "I feel like she'll be okay."
Parents appreciate the work the school is doing, but can't ignore the fact that they are still scared for their kids to go back to school, and would like more security measures.
"They're working as fast and as best they can," said parent April Pou. "I wouldn't mind seeing maybe a clear backpack type of situation."
"I would like to see more, but I'm also a realist, that there's only so much they can do," Durlam said.
While the uncertainty is heightened, parents feel confident in the resources they have been provided with.
"We used to come in and out, but now we're going to be here more, but I do feel more comfortable going into the school and actually just seeing how the teachers are acting and how they feel, and knowing that the teachers are strong, then they are gonna push that onto the students, so I like that," Holden said.
Perry High School students will return to school on Wednesday, Jan. 31.