Jayme Closs' school is ready for her when she is

BARRON, Wisc. (FOX 9) - The entire Barron, Wisc. community is supporting Jayme Closs in her return to the town and that includes her school district.

While it might be some time before Closs returns to class, her teachers are already ready to help.

“She participated in cross country and loved dancing,” said Barron Area Schools Superintendent Diane Tremblay. “She is a lovely girl. She really is.”

It’s been three months since Jayme Closs walked the halls of Riverview Middle School, but she is still on the minds of her teachers and classmates, especially now.

“I had to pinch myself a couple of times. I didn’t want to sleep that night because I wanted to make sure when I woke up she was still home,” Tremblay said.

Tremblay says she knows Closs has a long road ahead of her, but she wants the school to be ready for her when she returns.

“What we don’t want to do is intrude on her progress,” Tremblay said. “I can’t imagine what she has been through and we are going to be responsive to whatever she needs.”

Tremblay says it will take time for Closs to resume a regular routine, but if she does come back to Riverview, she would have a flexible schedule with plenty of breaks.

Tremblay says the challenge will be to prepare students to welcome Closs with open arms without prying too much.

“I would think normalcy would be a really good thing,” she said. “I bet she misses her friends. She’s a teenaged gal who has some good friends around her and she hasn’t had them around for 88 days.”

Banners and ornaments made by Closs’ classmates have been packed up and delivered to her. It’s just one way to let Closs know how much she was missed and how grateful they are she is finally home.

“Our district mission is for all our kids to reach their dreams while making a positive impact on the world,” Tremblay said. “And I think about the impact this child has already had on the world. She’s made a big impact on the world. Now, we just have to help her reach her dreams.”

The district will work with the Department of Justice School Safety Team on ways to make the transition smooth for the teen and they will stay in touch with the Closs family to make sure they do what is right for her.