'Is That Bad Guy Gone?' Teachers Prepare To Answer Questions After Threat Closes Schools

DENVER (CBS4)- More than a dozen school districts in Colorado canceled class on Wednesday after the FBI and local law enforcement announced they were investigating a credible threat. The manhunt ended Wednesday morning for Sol Pais, the 18-year-old Florida woman who flew from her home state to Colorado this week, then bought a gun and made credible threats against schools.

When third grade teacher, Bridget Stephenson-Mckee got the call they would not be in the classroom, she says all she could think about was being in hers.

"I honestly did not really sleep after that, I was just… when I did fall asleep I was dreaming about helping kids evacuate, or hiding them or I was awake thinking about what I would say to them," she said.

Like most third graders, her students are not shy about asking questions and when they return on Thursday, Stephenson knows it will be no different.

"Is that bad guy gone? Are they caught? Are there more bad guys?" she said.

Unfortunately, she says part of being a teacher today means knowing how to respond to threats, and worrying about security.

"It is something that you are always thinking about," she said.

Like most schools, they have lockdown drills and teachers at Force Elementary train on how to respond to trauma. Tools she says she will use after this latest threat.

"Knowing how to work with kids through their emotions, letting them know there are no wrong emotions... We can work through them and that I'm there to listen to them," she said.

Stephenson says this will be a lesson of its own, one she hopes she can deliver to her students in a way that will keep them safe for a lifetime.

"It is important for them to understand how to difficult situations and how to manage their emotions when it comes to situations like this because this has become part of our lives," she said.