Barrow County School District to receive $1M after Apalachee HS shooting
The Apalachee High School gathered to mourn those killed in Wednesday's attack, pray for those who were injured, and try come to grips with the atrocity at a makeshift memorial in front of the Winder school on Sept. 6, 2024. (FOX 5)
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - The Barrow County School District is set to receive $1 million in federal funding to help cover expenses related to the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School that left four people dead, including two students.
READ: Apalachee HS shooting stories
What we know:
The money, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, will reimburse the district for costs such as temporary classrooms, substitute teachers, and additional administrative staff brought in to provide support after the tragedy. School officials said separate grants have already covered mental health services and upgrades to classrooms and counseling spaces.
The funding announcement comes as the mother of one of the victims, 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn, prepares to file a $25 million lawsuit against Barrow County Schools and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. She claims the district and law enforcement failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the deadly campus shooting.
RELATED: Mother of Apalachee HS victim to file lawsuit over missed warnings
What they're saying:
Federal officials have not commented on the pending litigation but said the emergency aid is intended to help the community recover and continue providing educational services in the wake of the tragedy.