ROCKVILLE - It was supposed to be Spirit Day at Richard Montgomery High School, and a few students showed up Friday with painted faces and Mardi Gras beads. But officials at the school near where five people were killed this week in a shooting spree canceled the pep rally.
"It kind of ruins the mood of Homecoming," said Dani Young, 17, a senior.
At schools throughout the county, students and staff tried to make it just another Friday, but many remained cautious as the shooting suspects remained at large.
County officials issued a "code blue" Thursday, locking down all schools, but later made the move optional. A few schools kept students inside all day Thursday, but at others the day went as planned.
"Today's been business as usual," Julie Leavitt, an assistant teacher at Beall Elementary School, said Friday. She said a field trip was canceled, but other activities took place.
Young said she planned to attend a Friday night football game -- 30 county school athletic events were slated to take place as scheduled.
Police officers guarded the gates to the football field at Richard Montgomery as the crowd filed in Friday evening for the game against rival Wooten High School.
Richard Montgomery athletic director Leo Campion said he would not ask for a moment of silence at the beginning of the Homecoming game against the rival Wooten High School Patriots.
"I'm not going to call attention to a tense situation," he said. "We want our athletes and our students to enjoy tonight and dance tomorrow and celebrate Homecoming."
Brian Porter, a county schools spokesman, said attendance at schools near the shootings was down about 10 percent.
Barbara Cano, 43, of Rockville, came to Beall to pick up her son.
"It's something isolated that happened," Cano said. "It's horrible, but we can't let things like that stop us."
Elizabeth Enders, 40, a mother of three, agreed. She said she wasn't afraid for her children, deciding to send them to school on Friday.
"I thought they were safer here than anywhere," Enders said. "The people being targeted were standing along main roads."
Porter said several of the victims had children who attended county schools. One elementary school student lost a mother, two high school students lost an uncle and a middle school student's father was killed.
Krystle Robertson, 17, a senior at Richard Montgomery, said, "'This too shall pass,' said the Lord. If you let one thing paralyze your environment, you won't be able to function."
"It kind of ruins the mood of Homecoming," said Dani Young, 17, a senior.
At schools throughout the county, students and staff tried to make it just another Friday, but many remained cautious as the shooting suspects remained at large.
County officials issued a "code blue" Thursday, locking down all schools, but later made the move optional. A few schools kept students inside all day Thursday, but at others the day went as planned.
"Today's been business as usual," Julie Leavitt, an assistant teacher at Beall Elementary School, said Friday. She said a field trip was canceled, but other activities took place.
Young said she planned to attend a Friday night football game -- 30 county school athletic events were slated to take place as scheduled.
Police officers guarded the gates to the football field at Richard Montgomery as the crowd filed in Friday evening for the game against rival Wooten High School.
Richard Montgomery athletic director Leo Campion said he would not ask for a moment of silence at the beginning of the Homecoming game against the rival Wooten High School Patriots.
"I'm not going to call attention to a tense situation," he said. "We want our athletes and our students to enjoy tonight and dance tomorrow and celebrate Homecoming."
Brian Porter, a county schools spokesman, said attendance at schools near the shootings was down about 10 percent.
Barbara Cano, 43, of Rockville, came to Beall to pick up her son.
"It's something isolated that happened," Cano said. "It's horrible, but we can't let things like that stop us."
Elizabeth Enders, 40, a mother of three, agreed. She said she wasn't afraid for her children, deciding to send them to school on Friday.
"I thought they were safer here than anywhere," Enders said. "The people being targeted were standing along main roads."
Porter said several of the victims had children who attended county schools. One elementary school student lost a mother, two high school students lost an uncle and a middle school student's father was killed.
Krystle Robertson, 17, a senior at Richard Montgomery, said, "'This too shall pass,' said the Lord. If you let one thing paralyze your environment, you won't be able to function."