In the aftermath of the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, the Miami Trace Local School District has announced it will host a community forum this Thursday to discuss the district’s safety policies and procedures.

Late last week, Miami Trace Superintendent David Lewis sent a letter to all district parents/guardians concerning this forum, which will be held at the Miami Trace High School auditorium on Thursday, March 1 at 7 p.m.

“As you know, there was an act of violence that occurred in a Florida high school last week. This tragedy resulted in the death of 14 students and 3 staff members,” Lewis wrote in the letter. “Making sense of such a tragedy is difficult for adults and students alike. We want to assure you that the safety of our students and staff is a top priority for our district. We have implemented many safety measures over the past few years to confirm our commitment to school safety.”

Lewis also referenced student walkouts that are being planned throughout the country in response to violence in schools.

“We have been approached by many students within our district about their desire to participate in this event,” Lewis wrote. “We are currently working with district officials, our Board of Education, as well as student leaders to best determine how to respond to this at Miami Trace. We understand the importance of this issue and want our students to have the ability to express themselves in a positive way. However, we do not want this to become a political issue that detracts from that message. Please be assured that no student will be required to participate in any activity in which they are uncomfortable.”

Lewis said a final plan will be communicated via the school building principals in the near future.

Students are easing their way back to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School nearly two weeks after one of their former classmates killed 17 people with an assault weapon.

Several thousand students and parents lined up Sunday to enter the campus, walking solemnly but resolutely through gates that had been locked to all but law enforcement and school officials since the Valentine’s Day shooting.

They were there to collect backpacks and other belongings left behind as they fled the massacre. The freshman building where the shooting happened is now cordoned off and covered with banners from other schools showing solidarity.

The 3,200-student school reopens Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.