SARASOTA, Fla. — At Lakeview Elementary in Sarasota, there’s only one public entrance for parents and visitors. Also, there are fences that separate the classroom area from the parking lot. Principal Lisa Wheatley said it gives parents and staff members a sense of security.
“There was no fencing around the perimeter of this school, so at any time someone could come up to a classroom,” said Wheatley.
All the Sarasota County schools are slated to get the new security upgrades by 2020, but now school leaders want to fast-track the plan. Michael Andreas is the head of school security for the district. He said they hope to have the majority of the upgrades done by the end of this year.
“Let's just focus on safety and security and get it where it needs to and go about educating in a safe environment,” said Andreas.
The plan costs about $25 million. The school board plans to vote on the measure by the end of this month.
