BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Barrow County School System has added a digital layer to security in an effort to keep kids safe.
Every day this month, parents can pair up with coaches who will help them spot a problem before a student becomes violent at school.
The September push comes one year after the deadly shooting on Apalachee High School’s campus.
Two students and two teachers died. Nine others were hospitalized.
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Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo were the two students who lost their lives. Math teachers Coach Ricky Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie were also killed in the rampage.
The new safety layer involving parents offers guidance that can help build a human shield around the school.
“I think it’s important for parents to be engaged and know what’s going on with their children. Especially, when sending them to schools,” Layla Renee Contreras told Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco.
Contreras’ mother and sister were inside the school when the shooting happened Sept. 4, 2024. She has led efforts for faster security upgrades following the shooting there.
It took four months and another case of a student bringing a gun to school for the board of education to vote to install weapon detectors in schools.
“It’s been a lengthy journey from the very beginning to now. I’m hoping to see, again, bridging that gap of communication between the school system and the parents because we’re still trying to rebuild that trust,” said Contreras.
The district is still working to hire extra school resource officers to work on campuses.
The digital parenting courses are available every day this month. You can see a calendar of classes on their website.
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- ‘They could’ve done more:’ Apalachee High School students push for increased safety measures
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