Children return to classes after siege

Students and teachers began the school day with a minute of silence, and officials said the town's seven schools would have a shortened day of classes.

Footage on Russian television showed children dressed up in suits and bows being met at schools by school officials, along with armed law enforcement officers dressed in camouflage. A full schedule of classes was scheduled for Thursday, but teachers said many parents were keeping students away.

Children from the nearly destroyed School No. 1 where hundreds of terrified children and adults were held for nearly three days by heavily armed militants have been granted stays, along with their families, at sanatoriums in the Black Sea resort of Sochi and other locations.

"I was scared during the terrorist act at School No. 1," said Kaitar Koloyev, a fourth-grade student from one of Beslan's other schools. "My friends were scared too, but I tried to calm them, asking them to not be afraid and telling them that everything will be all right."