SOUTHWEST FLORIDA — The safety and security of your child is likely at the top of your mind as we go into the new school year. Two southwest Florida school districts took Fox 4 Senior Reporter Kaitlin Knapp inside classrooms to see what they're doing to keep your child safe.
A new state law requires a "safe area" for emergencies.
"Now students know and staff know this area they can go to based on the scenario, based on maybe what could happen at that school site," said David Newlan, Executive Director of Safety and Security for the Lee County School District.
Watch to see new safety plans in place for Lee and Collier Schools:
Every classroom or instructional area needs the sign posted. Newlan says the area is intended to be out of eyesight of a door.
When it comes to threats, the district uses a program called "Fortify Florida."
"That's a reporting measure where students or anybody can report anonymously anything they want to report of concern or a tip, maybe a possible threat," Newlan said.
New this year for the district is a presentation, explaining how it works and the consequences of a threat.
Newlan says the district already had a threat this year at Gateway High School — before school even started.
"We don't want to see anybody get in trouble, but we have to take these threats seriously obviously based on what we see nationwide," he explained.
Each Lee County school has a weapons detection system, which launched last year. Newlan is hoping to expand them.
"Eventually, even at some schools, use them for special events, for games, stuff like that for security," he said.
All doors must be locked during the day, there are cameras and video doorbells. All these measures are at every school.
As for boots on the ground, there's more than just school resource officers.
"We have increased our guardian numbers, we have guardians at schools throughout Lee County," Newlan said.
There's another safety measure — this one in the air.
"The vape detectors detect the vape chemicals in the air and notify administration," said Rachel Gould, Director of Student Services for the district.
It's a pilot program in three high schools and two middle schools. The detectors are in bathrooms, paid for by a JUUL settlement for targeting kids in ads.
"We need to make sure kids are following healthy habits and understanding what they're doing to themselves when they're vaping," Gould explained.
The district will look at the data and talk about expansion in the future.
COLLIER COUNTY:
At Aubrey Rogers High School, technology is paving the way for security there, too.
"All of the classrooms have badged access control, which means you have to have permission to enter this space," said Chad Oliver, Director of Communications for Collier County Public Schools. "There's not way for a teacher to permanently unlock the door."
He says over the next few years, each school will have the badged access control.
Because this specific high school is so new, there are features here you won't find elsewhere, such as a lockdown button in classrooms.
"They can come over to the case, lift the protective case, push this red button and that immediately sends the school into lockdown, "Oliver explained.
The windows are two way — so you can see outside them, but no one can see inside.
Knapp asked how the district is keeping students safe at schools without these high-tech measures.
"We have multiple cameras at every single school," Oliver said. "You have single points of entry at every single school. You have video doorbell access at every single school."
Just like Lee COunty, and districts across the state, Collier has lockdown areas.
"Everybody in the class knows where to go," Oliver said.
Also, each door has a shade on the window to block anyone from looking inside during a lockdown.
Though there's different technology and safety measures at the districts, the end goal is the same: protecting everyone on campus.
"We want to be proactive, we don't want to be reactive," Newlan said.
