FORT MADISON, Ia. (WGEM) -
School officials in Fort Madison are taking extra steps to make sure your kids are safe when you send them to school.
The school board has approved adding a full time school resource officer to patrol the schools.
When you enter Fort Madison High School you must ring a bell to alert staff you are at the building. Once in the building, you're carefully watched by over a dozen cameras.
Student Chase Cullen says all of that makes him feel safe at school.
"I feel really safe because it is really hard to get into the school," said Cullen.
Still, Principal Greg Smith says recent tragedies like Sandy Hook show schools can always be safer. That's why they decided hiring a district wide school resource officer was important.
"It always makes us pause and think again about how we're doing, what we're doing," said Smith.
Smith says after looking into hiring an officer they felt it would help boost security at the school.
"When there is a police officer or some kind of SRO in your building or even a car outside your building. It seems to deter folks from violence on school property," said Smith.
Cullen says he agrees with Smith.
"I mean no one is going to try and do anything wrong if they see authority," said Smith.
Smith says making sure students like Cullen feel safe at school is his top priority.
"In our mind it is always job one. We tell kids from day one that they need to notify us if they see something that is out of the ordinary. Come and talk to us if they have concerns about their safety," said Smith.
