Schools in Newtown area reopen

President Barack Obama, who called for action at a Sunday night prayer vigil in Newtown, held talks with vice president Joe Biden and three Cabinet members on Monday in what a White House official said was an effort to "begin looking at ways the country can respond to the tragedy in Newtown.

Several Democratic lawmakers have called for a new push for U.S. gun restrictions, including a ban on assault weapons such as the Bushmaster AR-15 used by Lanza, who carried hundreds of rounds of ammunition in extra clips and shot all of his victims repeatedly, one of them 11 times. Lanza also shot dead his mother before driving to the school, and then killed himself to end the massacre with a death toll of 28.

The nation's powerful gun industry lobby, the National Rifle Association, has remained silent on the Newtown shooting.

While politicians and investors grappled with the future of the US gun industry, police and educators in Newtown tried to ease their bucolic town back to normal. At least two more funerals were set for today after the first two children were buried on Monday.

Newtown police plan to have officers at the six schools scheduled to reopen on today, and police Lt George Sinko acknowledged it may be difficult to ease the worries of the roughly 4,700 returning students and their families.

"Obviously, there's going to be a lot of apprehension. We just had a horrific tragedy. We had babies sent to school that should be safe and they weren't," Lt Sinko said. "You can't help but think ... if this could happen again."

Older students were volunteering at a support centre for those stricken with grief.

"It all seemed so unreal, and then today it hit me. This is reality and something we're going to have to deal with," said Jamie Calandro (14), a freshman at Newtown High School. "Right now, with Christmas coming up, it's most important to make the homey feel of Newtown come back."

When Sandy Hook students return, it will be at the unused Chalk Hill School in the nearby Monroe, where a sign across the street form the school read, "Welcome Sandy Hook Elementary!"

Police have warned it could take months for them to finish their investigation.

The first two victims, Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto, both 6, were buried yesterday, with the boys' bodies laid out in white coffins.

Jack was dressed in a New York Giants jersey with his favourite player's number, while mourners left a teddy bear outside Noah's service.

Funerals were expected today for victims including James Mattioli and Jessica Rekos. Each was 6 years old.

Reuters