La Conner schools also grieving Marysville tragedy

The tragic shots rang out at Marysville-Pilchuck High School last Friday, but the emotional impact was felt on La Conner campuses as well.

The latest in a string of horrific school shootings dating to Columbine 15 years ago has hit close to home.

Closer, even, than the 30-minute drive separating La Conner and Marysville.

“We have several students who are related to the shooter and also to the victims,” explained a somber La Conner School District Superintendent Dr. Tim Bruce, who addressed board members and staff at their monthly meeting Monday night.

Family members aren’t alone in their grief, Dr. Bruce stressed.

Still more La Conner students, he and others noted, knew the Marysville teens — three of whom, including the shooter, are now dead, with three others left fighting for their lives — through a myriad of shared social, cultural, and athletic experiences.

Familiarity with those involved led to a sensitive and heartfelt La Conner School District response.

The district, Dr. Bruce said, addressed the Marysville school shooting in a letter to parents drafted and mailed soon after the incident occurred.

...More in the Oct. 29 issue