Palm Beach County students who need to talk about Tuesday's terrorist attacks will find counselors on hand today at school, ready to comfort them and reassure them of their safety.

At many elementary schools, teachers will discuss the tragedy in class only if students bring it up.

Younger children need to be comforted and assured of their safety, said Judith Asbury, principal of Citrus Cove Elementary, west of Boynton Beach. "Children in the primary grades don't understand what's going on. It only frightens them," she said.

But at high schools, it's likely that discussion of the tragedy will dominate class time.

Tuesday, many elementary schools did what they could to keep children from finding out about the tragedy until they could hear it from their parents.

Asbury sent secretaries to deliver notes to every teacher, alerting them of the tragedy and asking them to turn off their televisions.

At some high schools, regular class was suspended so students could watch the nightmarish scenes unfolding on television.

Spanish River High School Principal Geoff McKee made several announcements about the tragedy over the public address system.

"Every class I visited today had the TV tuned into CNN," he said. McKee said the students he spoke to weren't panicked, but they were seeking information.

Spanish River students were shocked.

"I felt devastated, like the entire world had collapsed around me," said senior Michael Roberts, 18. "I went into the hallway only to find friends exhibiting the same feelings of disgust, sorrow and gloominess."

Some principals spent time relaying information to students about the safety of their loved ones.

Four students at Boca Raton's Calusa Elementary have parents who are pilots, said Principal Ann Faraone.

Another little boy, who sought comfort from a guidance counselor, was worried about his father, who was slated to fly home from a business meeting in New York today.

Faraone was able to reach the father and put the son on the phone with him.

The pilot parents were either home or had not yet begun flying for the day when the attacks happened, she said.

Spanish River's McKee said his staff fielded calls from parents who wanted to get a message to their children that family members and friends from the areas attacked were safe.

Palm Beach County schools were to be open only half a day Tuesday for teacher training in the afternoon. All after-school activities, such as sporting events and club meetings, were canceled.

Most of the planned teacher training also was canceled.

"I certainly wouldn't want someone who is very, very concerned about a relative to stay in school and be at a workshop," said South Area Superintendent Carole Shetler.



Next Generation Writer Adam Silverstein contributed to this report.



Kellie Patrick can be reached at kpatrick@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6629.