By Tammy Moore Teague
School security, it is an issue that no school in the day and time in which we live, can afford to take lightly. And, safety is at the forefront of changes that the Hackett School District brought to their campus over the summer.
The district planned and put into place a multi-faceted safety system that would be operational on the first day of classes. Part of the school’s approach was to install automatic door locking systems as well as security cameras. “Unfortunately even in a small community such as Hackett the world is changing,” stated Hackett Elementary Principal Tura Bailey. “Events over the last few years have prompted schools all over to re-evaluate their security measures.”
Visitors to the campus must enter through the front door. After 8:15 a.m., all doors are automatically locked and remain locked throughout the school day. Visitors must be buzzed in through the front door and sign in through the office, where they will receive a visitor badge.
“We are very aware of the safety concerns parents have for their children and we share those same concerns,” added Superintendent Eddie Ray. “We are proud to have made the improvements we have made and we are continually assessing our schools to see if there is something else we can do to become safer. We know that some of our measures have become more restrictive to parents, but we can’t avoid some of the inconveniences that occur. Overall, parents have been very positive and supportive.”
