No Warsaw students led or participated in organized protests or remembrances at school Wednesday – the one-month anniversary of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., where 17 people were killed Feb. 14 by a 19-year-old gunman.

But if students had wanted to participate Wednesday for the National Student Walkout or want to walk out of classrooms on April 20 for the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting, Warsaw Community Schools has guidelines for that.

At the Warsaw School Board meeting Monday night, Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert gave a statement outlining what those guidelines are.

“Recently, questions have arisen about student-initiated and -led events concerning the Parkland, Fla., shooting and the events planned for April 20. Any of these events are student-initiated, student-planned, student-led and for students only. When Warsaw Community High School students express desire to display support for the Parkland victims, administrators will, as always, ensure that high school students remain safe. That only high school students will be participants. That normal attendance practices and student handbook attendance policies remain in place, and that classroom instructional time not be affected.”



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After the board meeting, Hoffert said the statement was issued because community members had questions about such events.

The only two nearby high schools that had events Wednesday were Whitko High School in South Whitley and Manchester Jr.-Sr. High School in North Manchester.

Whitko High School allowed students to participate free of consequences such as truancy, unexcused absences or any other form of punishment, according to a news release from the school.

Whitko student Austin Nettrouer, who is the National Honor Society president,  organized a “Stand Up Convo” in the WHS gymnasium. A slideshow of the victims from Stoneman Douglas were displayed on a large video screen, reserved usually for graduation. Senior Nikki Lawson used the school intercom to invite the student body to join the Stand Up Convo in the gymnasium. The activity was held during a planning period known as “Cat’s Pride” and students were allowed to choose whether or not they would attend.

About 150 students from Manchester participated in the nationwide walkout, according to the North Manchester News-Journal.

The 17-minute walkout included a moment of silence, reading of the victims’ names and an opportunity to call legislators to voice concerns.

The News-Journal reported were supervised during the walkout by school faculty, staff and parents.