Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has taken steps to try to address safety and security in the new school year through measures like increased staffing and collaboration with police.
Next Monday, Aug. 29 is the first day of school for students.
MCPS has increased staffing at the central level by raising the number of cluster security coordinators from six to nine. This will decrease caseloads for coordinators so they can have more presence at their locations and increase response time, said Dana Edwards, Chief of Districtwide Services and Supports, during a school board meeting Tuesday.
The school system hired 12 “rovers” to support elementary schools and be on-site without taking away from secondary schools. They would also be able to support secondary schools if needed.
Edwards said MCPS is working with the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) so police can have a key fob to enter school buildings.
“And that was something that came up on the heels of Uvalde, Texas,” she said. In May, 19 children and two adults were killed after a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
Over the summer, there was specialized active shooter assailant training for MCPD SWAT. In January of this year, a shooting at Magruder High School left a 15-year-old student in critical condition.
