School officials continue their efforts to improve safety measures at schools in Durham and Middlefield in the wake of last year's tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
On Thursday, Regional School District 13 students will return to class for a new school year and to new security features which includes fencing around the school district's portable classrooms.
"We're continuing to work on this area,"interim superintendent Dr. Ernest Perlini said while presenting school board members with a brief overview of the security improvements at Wednesday's Board of Education meeting.
Cameras and card swipe technology has been added throughout the district, he said. In addition, state police will conduct a security study in mid-September at all schools.
The study will make the school district eligible for grants to pay for security upgrades, Perlini said.
School security has been a focal point of the school board since the Dec. 14, 2012 tragedy in Newtown.
Perlini referred to the popular advertising campaign "See something, say something" to encourage school officials, parents or students to bring security needs to his attention.
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