Will The New Middle School In Beverly Be Safe?

BEVERLY, MA -- A design that makes ample use of glass has some parents questioning whether or not a new middle school in Beverly will be staff for students and teachers. The concerns come after recent school shootings, including one last month in Parkland, FL that left 17 people dead. The school, which will cost the city $109.2 million, is scheduled to open in September.

At least one parent has asked the school district to consider replacing the windows that cover the front of the building with bulletproof glass, according to Wicked Local Beverly, which first reported this story. School officials said that may not be feasible, but they are looking at places where they can make safety enhancements.

Safety features that are already included in the design include 200 security cameras with the ability to add 100 more, teacher's rooms and administrative office on every floor and the location of most classrooms in the back of the building, away from the glass front of the school.

For more on this story, see Wicked Local Beverly. Subscribe to Beverly Patch for more local news and real-time alerts.

Photo by Beverly Public Schools.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).