More school shootings are reported everyday and Woodland is fighting back. Woodland received the third highest security grant than any other district in Connecticut and it is using every penny to keep their students safe.

“With today’s school environment it’s important we secure the schools and make them as safe as possible. Yesterday there was two more school shootings, we can never let our guard down,” explains head of Woodland security, Fred Smith.

Woodland is upgrading its entire security system. Ninety-five new cameras ,bullet resistant glass, new digital radios, and  security will have access to every camera in the building through their iPads. .

The glass in the hallway leading to cafeteria, front door entrances, cafeteria walls, and almost all of the lower level have been or will all be replaced with plexy glass  by the end of this June. Plexy glass is a thermoplastic that is often used for shatter resistance. If a bullet is shot through the window, it will penetrate and go through but the window will stay intact. If worst comes to worst and an intruder attempts to shatter the glass and enter the building, he will not be able to.

Several schools around Connecticut have also updated their security system in the last few years. Schools in Milford, Derby, Naugatuck and dozens more have received large security grants within the last two years.  The new security measures will also be added to the new middle school being built in Prospect.

Although Woodland takes numerous precautionary measures, tragedy is always a possibility.

“We can make the school ninety-nine percent safe, but you can’t take away the human element. If someone really wanted to get into this building, they probably could,” explains Kurt Ogren, Principal of Woodland, “But this adds another layer of protection. It provides a sense of comfort and security, and we’re getting just a bit closer to that one-hundred percent.”

Photo Credit-Carly Erickson