INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — While many local students and families are celebrating the end of the school year, safety is top of mind after Tuesday's shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
Dr. Dale Herl, superintendent of the Independence School District, said as a parent with kids in his own district, he is heartbroken for the students and families of Robb Elementary.
"I'm almost at a loss for words, and it just seems like this happens far too often," Herl said. "My heart just goes out to the community, to those families, and again, it is just such a tragedy."
Herl said the district takes school safety very seriously and has multiple protocols in place to keep students and staff safe.
"The biggest thing is that when parents or kids hear something, they need to report it, because that is really our first line of defense," Herl said. "If we know something, we can start an investigation right away."
He said an approved bond issue will provide more security upgrades, which includes double door vestibules at entrances of buildings.
Most buildings already have them in place and the rest will be complete by the end of summer.
Herl said the district has school resource officers in middle schools and high schools and a great relationship with Independence police, who stop by to walk through schools from time to time.
