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Safety is top priority for school districts
Monday is back to school for Volusia County students.
DELAND, Fla. - Monday is back to school for Volusia County students. Parents like Minelli Santiago are getting ready.
"Basically they start tomorrow, so I'm just getting the last-minute things they need like label makers, headphones, anything they need for back to school," she said.
District leaders say that with students returning to class, safety is top of mind. Volusia County's superintendent and school board members are hoping to reassure parents that they're ready to act quickly if the worst happens.
"Just really re-emphasizing the basic need of maintaining safe campuses," said Michelle Newman, Director of Security Operations at Volusia County Schools
School officials and law enforcement have laid out their emergency plans for the new school year. They said every school will have at least one resource officer, along with a law enforcement radio to better communicate in case of emergency.
Officers will also have access to all school cameras.
"Locking classroom doors," said Newman, "closing the gates on the school campus to make sure we have that secure perimeter not propping doors open. Everyone needs to be aware and look out for our students."
After the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, the district said officers were also re-training on how to respond to an active shooter.
"We conducted mandatory retraining because we have hired a few new people, so we want to make sure everybody has the same training," said Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young.
The school district's also asking students to do their part, urging them to report any suspicious activity they see to school officials. Volusia County parents say they feel the district is up to the job.
"I absolutely think that we've got lots of protocols and personnel that are going to enable us for safety, all around," said parent Rylee Bryant.