County Schools 'Amped Up' Safety Efforts After Newtown Shooting

While touring schools Monday morning, Superintendent Dallas Dance was asked by a kindergarten student what he is doing to keep kids safe after a on Friday.

"This is something we already take seriously," Dance said he told the student during an interview with local media Monday afternoon. 

Following two highly publicized gun incidents at Perry Hall High School and Stemmers Run Middle School respectively, the school system was already in the process of reviewing its safety practices and put some new measures to use after the Friday shooting.

"We're continuing to move forward in our efforts because we already started this work," Dance said.

He pointed to work currently being done by his administration regarding safety protocol such as regular police patrols around school campuses, the creation of the office of security and safety and implementing buzzer systems at school entrances.

"We just amped up the efforts after Friday," he said.

The school system sent protocol to elementary school staff Sunday afternoon explaining how to respond the the Newtown shooting, which left 26 individuals—including 20 kids—dead. Dance noted that student support services are also a critical component of safety planning.

Dance and Police Chief Jim Johnson will work together to consider additional security measures for county schools.

"You really have to make sure you're doing everything on the front end," he said. "Again, it's all about being proactive."