Keeping students safe at school

School shootings, school security and the safety of students throughout the country have been at the top of major headlines, not just these past few weeks since the Parkland, Fla. shooting, but literally, nearly 20 years -- April 20, 1999, the date of the Columbine shooting.

It would be so much simpler to push our heads into the sand and believe “it can’t happen here,” but the reality is, it can.

While we may not realize it, or even see it on a day-to-day basis, there are security measures in place in all of the schools in the district.

You may have noticed cameras on the outsides of the buildings, but have you seen the ones in the hallways? Of course, they are meant to be unobtrusive, but they capture everyone coming into or going out of classrooms, down halls and into front and back entrances.

State funding has allowed our district to install the cameras along with the software needed to run not only the cameras, but an elaborate security system that will soon be evident to all.

In the offices of RWE, TMS, HSCHS and the superintendent’s office, you will see enormous split screens that are monitored constantly.

When students return from Spring Break, things are going to be considerably different, with buzz throughs, locked doors and a few other items making our students safer.

Yes, it is going to make it more difficult to retrieve your child from school – no more waltzing through the front door to the office – but please try to keep in mind, while it may be an inconvenience to you, it is a giant step toward keeping every child in Hot Springs County School District #1 safe.