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Henrico County schools discuss safety after Newtown shooting

Posted at 10:17 PM, Dec 16, 2012
and last updated 2012-12-16 22:17:13-05

Many are on edge after the school shooting that took the lives of 26 people at Sandy Hook elementary in Newton, Connecticut. CBS 6 reached out to local schools to find out what, if any, extra security will be in place in the wake of a national tragedy that has many on edge. 

The following response below is from Andy Jenks, spokesman for Henrico County schools. 

“We are all deeply saddened by the recent events at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The tragedy has once again raised our level of concern and heightened our awareness of the importance of school security.

 Saturday, the division leadership asked our elementary principals to work with students who may seem concerned. We’ve asked principals to review all safety procedures with the faculty and staff to be sure that everyone is very aware of the procedures and is following them closely.

 We want them to be sure to know who is being admitted to their buildings and why they are there. This includes an effort to review and articulate how volunteers and substitute teachers are checked in to the school and trained in safety procedures.

 Lastly, we’ve suggested that our principals may want to debrief at the end of the day (Monday) to determine if more needs to be done to ensure the safety and well-being for all.

 The safety of our children has been, and always will be, our number one priority. As always, school counselors will be ready to offer support Monday to any children who need additional reassurance.”

Andy Jenks, spokesman for Henrico County.