HILLSBORO, Ore. -- Grief counselors were on hand at two Hillsboro grammar schools Tuesday to help ease the loss of two students who were shot to death.

Kylie Gumm, 6, and her 7-year-old brother, Tyler, were shot to death Friday morning by their father, police said. After shooting his children, James Gumm, 45, then shot himself, investigators said. A birdwatcher found the bodies in the Jaskson Bottom Wildlife Refuge.

Tyler was a second-grader at Jackson Elementary School and Kylie attended a private Christian school right down the road.

Families created a memorial for the children as everyone tried to make sense of the tragedy.

The headmaster at Heritage Christian School in Hillsboro said Kylie's classmates can't understand why a person who is supposed to protect his children would intentionally hurt his daughter.

The principal at Jackson Elementary said Tyler's classmates were also trying to comprehend the loss.

"I think they're just concerned, confused and concerned. There's never one particular question. It's hard for a young student to understand the events. So we just help them through it the best we can," said John Pede of Jackson Elementary.

Hillsboro police said they don't understand why Gumm would shoot his two children and himself on a trail at the Jackson Bottom Wildlife Refuge. They said Gumm, who worked for a high-tech company in Hillsboro until February, had emotional problems and was upset about his recent divorce from the children's mother.

To deal with their grief, students at Heritage Christian and Jackson Elementary schools made a memorial saying they miss their classmates and that they are sorry.

Administrators said rather than focusing on the negative they hope to help students celebrate their friends' lives.

"Kylie loved bugs. She often snuck them into class, so we did a bug hunt," said Todd Pfaff of Heritage Christian School.

"(Tyler) was a great kid, loved school. Teachers are very saddened by loss of him," Pede said.

Counselors will be at both schools at least through Wednesday to help teachers and students deal with the deaths of the two children.

Schools Mourn Children Shot To Death