POCATELLO — On what was supposed to be a joyous occasion, the annual celebration of Santa Claus’ visit to the school, Washington Elementary began things this year with a solemn moment to honor those slain in last Friday’s Newton, Conn., school shooting.

A candlelight vigil led by principal Steven Cziep also praised the five teachers and administrators who were felled in an attempt to protect their charges.

“They are the true heroes in this tragedy,” he said.

Braving bitterly cold temperatures, scores gathered to hold candles and participated in a reading of the names of the victims and a moment of silence in their remembrance. The rest of the program found the little ones — with parents in tow — moving towards areas where Christmas carols were being sung, crafts were being made and Kris Kringle waited to visit and bring cheer to the cold and tearful evening.

“My daughter was so young, she has no conception of what happened in Connecticut,” said Cora Nash, there with Natalie, 5, a kindergarten student much like many of Friday’s tiny victims. 

“I was so scared I went to school to pick her up early. I spent a lot of time with her, even though she had no idea why. I was so sick to my stomach when I heard the news, but I tried to explain to her that sometimes bad things happen.”

The honoring of those Sandy Hook Elementary teachers who died trying to save their students was especially poignant to 23-year veteran third-grade instructor Kristie Wolff, who said that she has told her pupils that she would care for them like her own children.

“I can see that I would probably have done the same thing — protecting my students no matter what,” she said. “These people are true heroes. God bless them for what they did for those kids.”

She also said that while her initial feeling was fright and disbelief, she later explained to her class that while bad things can happen, life is to be enjoyed and they should not live in fear from something that might happen.

Second-grade teacher Heidi Austin  brought her children to the event. The tragedy hit her doubly hard as a teacher and as a parent. 

She concurred with Wolff that she would have tried to do anything she could to save her children faced with such danger, saying she has a connection to all of her students and loves them like her own.

“As a parent, the news was just so heartbreaking,” she said. “I just cannot put in words how I felt when I heard. I just wanted to make sure my own children were safe and near me. No parent could ever be prepared for such news.”

Washington Elementary counselor Todd van Orden has dealt with tough issues before, but has never faced such a situation as multiple murder in a classroom. While the event took place almost 2,000 miles away, he said it has definitely affected some children at the school.

“I encouraged all of those I have been talking to come to this celebration tonight,” he said. “I think it will add some peace and closure to these terrible things. There are some pupils who have no grasp of what happened, but some have been very affected. It cuts across all ages and there’s no real pattern.

“As for myself, I had a lot of mixed feelings, but at first I just didn’t believe it,” he continued. “When I found out more information, though, it shook me up a lot. I really don’t know what to say except it might be a good time to spend a little more time with our kids.”

In light of how the gunman was somehow able to breach Sandy Hook’s rather sophisticated security system, Cziep said that there was no discussion — as of yet — about keeping unwanted visitors out of his academy, saying that it was too early and that the district would have to initiate those talks regarding the overall security plan of Chubbuck and Pocatello schools.

“Friday was a tough day,” he said. “Like anyone else, I first felt anger that someone could come into a school and do this to such innocent children. Then, I felt such overwhelming grief and sympathy for all those involved and for those people helping them to deal with it.”