Eufaula City Schools taking new proactive approach to safety

EUFAULA, AL (WTVM) - Nationwide school safety is still topping the charts as something parents and administrations discuss daily.

In Eufaula, Alabama, school administrators say they are taking a proactive approach to keep faculty and students protected.

This year, for the first time, all schools from pre-k to high school are equipped with a new Raptor System along with a door buzzer.

The Raptor System allows a person's license to be scanned and does a mini-background check on visitors to the school. The buzzer system is a method to keep the doors secured at the schools.

James Bailey is the director of facilities and safety for Eufaula City Schools. He says this new equipment is giving parents a peace of mind when they drop their kids off.

"I think safety for our students and faculty is at the utmost importance for us," says Bailey. " The door buzzer allows us to know who comes in the school both visually and audibly."

Eufaula Elementary Principal Gina Rudolph is overseeing 588 students. She says parents have been asking for years for upgraded security, and now the time has come.

"You can't be too careful these days, but our main goal is to make sure our students are safe all day, every day," said Rudolph. "Now that we have this in place parents are very happy about that and they've expressed to me this is something they've wanted for a long time."

The safety upgrades are not coming to a halt according to administrators who say they are looking at new software to give access of school security cameras to state and local authorities.

Also adding, new badges for school staff could be in the works where a button would be on the back of a badge to press in case of a threat or health emergency.

"I feel better. I can actually go out of town and not worry about oh lord somebody bad is going to get in the school and hurt my child," says elementary and middle school parent, Teresa Morris.

Administrators say a board meeting is expected to happen in the next month or two where various topics will be discussed .

"We are looking at different safety measures. We do have an upcoming board meeting where we will discuss some other things we want to do and implement those as well," says Bailey.

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