No one knows how to act or what to do after a tragic shooting like the one that hit Marysville-Pilchuck High School Oct. 24. There is no one way to respond emotionally. It is personal.

The senseless killings not only devastated family and friends of the victims, but also the community as we wondered, “How could this happen here?”

People all over the country pitched in to give support initially. The United States wrapped its arms around us to make us feel safe.

But now we are on our own, wondering what to do next.

Enter Schoenfeldt. She has become an expert in school shootings over the past few decades. She has facts so we aren’t just relying on feelings. Relying on emotions could lead us in the wrong direction.

Her job is three-fold: to help the community recover; to help prevent another tragedy; and to educate the community on what to expect.

She is sharing her wisdom with us, and we need to listen.

Schoenfeldt knows that the shooting just didn’t affect the families, those in the cafeteria, or even all the students at M-P.

Don’t forget the middle schools that feed into M-P, she says. The victims were students at those schools just a few months before.

Don’t forget the staff either. Even though they are adults, most haven’t been through anything like this before.

It is not something we can just get over with. It will take time. The first year is a disillusionment phase, Schoenfeldt says. “We can feel out of control.” That’s good to know for those who might be ready to move on. Don’t forget those who aren’t ready yet.

Schoenfeldt says grades could drop. They probably will since that is what happened at every other school where there has been a deadly shooting. It could take five years for test scores to recover. No one wants to hear that because so much emphasis is put on those scores. It’s also good for students to know colleges don’t cut kids any slack if they come from a school that had such a tragedy.

So while educational success is important, consider under the new normal that it may not be as high as it may have been. That’s OK. We can only do the best that we can do. Consider all the tough life lessons we all are learning and how valuable those are.

Despite the district’s best efforts, it could lose some teachers. That also is good to know now so we can prepare for it.

Knowledge is so important at a time like this, and Schoenfeldt has the expertise to lead us through this troubling time.

School Board Member Chris Nation is right in that we can’t give all students a free pass. We can’t just take it easy on them because of the tragedy. Some might try to take advantage.

Teachers still have to push them to succeed and be the best that they can be. They just might have to talk to them a little more. Be a little more sensitive. Be a little more understanding.

That doesn’t mean teachers have to be pushovers. It just means, as Superintendent Becky Berg said, they have to be part social worker and part mental health therapist.

We can’t go back to normal because normal has changed.