Scotch Plains-Fanwood Students Start School With More Security

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD, NJ — Wednesday is the first day of school for Scotch Plains and Fanwood students where they will be met by not only teachers but increased security for the 2018-19 school year.

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Margaret W. Hayes, sent out a letter to parents announcing safety changes to the district's elementary, middle and the high schools.

The changes include the addition of more police officers at the schools. A School Resource Officer was added to the high school in the spring and the middle and elementary schools will have Special Law Enforcement officers, which are recently retired Scotch Plains Police Officers, according to tapinto.net.

Both Scotch Plains and Fanwood Police will continue to monitor school grounds.

Monthly security drills including lockdown, evacuation, shelter-in-place, active shooter, and bomb threat drills will continue to be conducted, according to tapinto.net.

And all school doors now have buzzers and camera systems.

These changes came in light of the increased number of school shootings across the country including the Parkland, Florida shooting that resulted in the deaths of 17 students and faculty members.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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