Buffalo Grove High School students to return for first time since crash killed four
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (CBS) -- Buffalo Grove High School is back to class on Friday for the first time since four students were killed in a crash in Wheeling - and an unrelated fire broke out on campus.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported, staff and students came together to heal at a Township High School District 214 meeting in Arlington Heights Thursday night.
On Tuesday evening, a small fire broke out in a classroom at Buffalo Grove High School. That same night, the crash in Wheeling killed four Buffalo Grove High School students who all played soccer together - Ricky Barcenas, 17, Richard De-Ita, 18, Kevin Hernandez-Teran, 17, and Jesus Rodriguez, 16.
Interim District 214 Supt. Ken Arndt called this one of the toughest periods in the history of the school district.
The board meeting Thursday evening began with a moment of asked for a moment of silence for the students.
"It's just like we're at a loss of words," Arndt said. "Here we have a fire, the school was closed, and then we have four students that died – all within 24 hours or less. I don't know of any other school district that's ever experienced that."
Repairs are in motion after the fire broke out in the English wing and multimedia room at Buffalo Grove High School, at 1100 W. Dundee Rd. in Buffalo Grove.
But what is really on everyone's mind is the four students and soccer players who died.
"They were just great kids," said Arndt.
The four teens were in a sport-utility vehicle that crashed into two other cars and a light pole – briefly knocking out electricity in the area near Dundee and Schoenbeck roads where the crash happened.
"Everybody is doing the very best they can, but tomorrow's going to be very hard – for everybody," Arndt said.
It will indeed be hard for students to go back to school for the first time since the four teens died in the wreck Tuesday night.
"It was so unexpected that no one really knew it was like, real," said Leila Rodriguez.
At the scene of the accident, a memorial saw so many visitors earlier Thursday that Wheeling police had to come to the scene to help with traffic control.
"Everyone knew to come here either way - just to show their love," Rodriguez said.
The school principal now has an impossible task – leading the healing process for the students and their friends and families.
"The pain has been almost unbearable the last couple of days, but I think as you see, we are coming together," said principal Jeff Wardle. "It's an incredible community."
Graduation at Buffalo Grove High School is next Wednesday. One of the students killed who was set to graduate will be honored at the ceremony.
