Florida school shooting: Students back in class 2 weeks after massacre

PARKLAND, Fla. (KABC) -- Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida made an emotional return to class Wednesday, two weeks after a shooting that took the lives of 17 of their classmates and teachers.

There was extra security in place along with dozens of off-duty officers who showed up to help convince the students they were safe on the school's campus.

The first bell rang school into session amid a heavy police presence. Counselors were stationed on the campus indefinitely.

The students started back on a modified schedule, the first stop of which was to meet with classmates and teachers that they were with when the shooting massacre started exactly two weeks ago. Students were forced to cope with the fact that there were empty seats and different teachers.

The building where the shooting happened was closed.

"The school's trying to get us back to normal and we're never going to be back to normal but it's just going to get us in the right direction," one student said.

"I'm feeling a little weird. It's a little nerve-wracking, we're back on campus. It's been awhile, you know. It's going to be different," another student said.

Some students said they couldn't go back to school Wednesday after the trauma they faced.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott, meanwhile, was set to highlight a new plan to improve safety for students that he proposed last week that includes a $500 million investment in school safety.