MARYSVILLE — Becky Berg heard the phone ring Thursday afternoon and saw the call was from Washington, D.C.
It was U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who was about to tell the Marysviille School District superintendent that a $50,000 federal grant was on its way.
“The human touch from 3,000 miles way means the world,” Berg said of the call.
The grant is part of a federal Department of Education program which provides money to schools that have been affected by violence. The grant will help the school district pay extra costs the district incurred following the Oct. 24 shootings at Marysville Pilchuck High School.
Jaylen Fryberg, a 15-year-old freshman, opened fire on five of his friends, who were seated around a lunch table. Killed were Andrew Fryberg, 15, and Zoe Galasso, Shaylee Chuckulnaskit and Gia Soriano, all 14. Nate Hatch, 15, was the only shooting victim to survive. The shooter killed himself after firing at his friends.
Following the shooting, “We were pretty much 24/7 at the site in many job categories,” Berg said. The grant will help pay for overtime costs for school district employees, including bus drivers, custodians, maintenance workers, clerical help and security personnel, as well as for a crisis response team that included consultant Cheri Lovre, Berg said.
The school district plans to apply for a second grant of about $250,000 to help with other costs, such as extra counseling services for students, families and staff and for substitute teachers who filled in for district personnel after the shooting.
“The expenses are numerous,” Berg said.
Berg said the district has received ongoing support from elected officials, including Sens. Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Reps. Rick Larsen and Suzan DelBene.
“From the beginning, we’ve taken a stance of trying to do what the folks in the school district want us to do rather than going to them with one more idea of what we can do,” Larsen said.
Berg said she’s been impressed by the personal concern “for our kids and our community” shown by Washington’s elected officials. “We’re very grateful,” she said.
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.
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