March 27, 2001

The mood was somber as students returned to Granite Hills High School yesterday, many of them accompanied by parents, grandparents and friends.

Students were subdued as they hugged classmates, greeted teachers and dropped off flowers, balloons and tributes to El Cajon police Officer Richard Agundez at the school's marquee at East Madison Avenue and Fourth Street.

Agundez stood by the main office and received hugs from the students who call him their hero.

Trauma was visible on many faces and in the tears of some.

Math teacher Sandra Sweat stood outside her classroom to greet and hug each student as they walked into Room 11.

An impromptu prayer circle formed around the school marquee, and another one was held after classes were over in John F. Kennedy Park across from the school.

As trauma counselors predicted, those closest to where the gunfire broke out Thursday had different reactions than others who were more removed.

"I'm scared," said sophomore Billy Ditzler, 16, who injured his neck and back after diving onto the floor when the shooting began. "I used to be cheery. I'm not going to be the same. I'll be lucky to get through high school."

Billy's mother, Renee Ditzler, said she did not want to take her son to school yesterday, but he wanted to be there.

"He's scared, terrified would be the word," Ditzler said.

Freshman Holly Villegas, 15, said she just wants to get the school back to normal as quickly as possible.

"I'm fine," Holly said. "I think we need to get it over with. Nobody died. Nobody was seriously hurt. To everybody out there, I want to say, 'It's going to be OK.' "

The student accused in the shooting, Jason Hoffman, appeared in court yesterday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to all charges. Several students attended the arraignment.

They started their day in their fifth-period classes -- where they had been when the shooting broke out -- to retrieve the belongings left behind when they fled the campus.

A counselor was in each of the 108 classrooms, which were packed with students and their families who came to support them. Attendance was at 93 percent.

"It was a very good day back," said former Granite Hills Principal Bob Avant, who returned to the school he left in 1998. "As the day progressed, I noticed the students becoming more and more like I remember them, the return to normalcy."

Last night, more than 400 parents filed into the school's gymnasium for a standing-room-only briefing that at times seemed like a pep rally.

Counselors reminded parents to spend time with their children, while District Attorney Paul Pfingst pledged to have the case settled by September, when the next school year starts.

Pfingst's promise to take all threats of school violence seriously was met with applause.

During a brief question-and-answer session, one person accused Pfingst of using the shooting to advance his career. The person was booed, and El Cajon Police Chief James Davis defended Pfingst.

"He's not here advancing his political future," Davis said. "He's doing a job."

Davis' comments were met with cheers and a standing ovation from the crowd.

Robin and Larry Clark said they attended the meeting to show their support of the school's administration. The Clarks' son, Jeremy, is a sophomore at Granite Hills.

"I just feel confident they're doing whatever they need to make sure kids are safe," Robin Clark said.

During the day, counselors asked students questions such as where they were when the shooting began and what would make them feel safe again.

The library was established as a "safe room," where teens could go to talk individually with a counselor. Senior Jennifer Speidel, 17, who witnessed the shooting, said she spent a lot of the day there and talked to three counselors.

Classes were dismissed early, as they will be all week. For some, the counseling was helpful, although many students said they will be happy to get back to lessons in math, history and science today.

Erika Janssen and Adrian Frazier, both 16 and juniors, said they worried that they would fall behind in preparing for Advanced Placement tests coming up soon.

"I would have gone back to school on Friday," Erika said. "It wasn't a safety issue. It was more wanting to be with our friends."

By the time school ended at 1:02 p.m., many students seemed eager to put the tragedy behind them.

"We should just leave it alone," said senior Tim Stearns, 17.