Jefferson City elementary school gets security upgrades

Jefferson City school officials wrapped up a tour of the newly remodeled West Elementary Monday night.

The school is the first to receive major security upgrades as the district is trying to revamp every building following several shooting incidents around the country.

The new secure buzz-in system will basically allow visitors to step into a foyer, hit a button to call the office, and then be allowed in through a secure door.

There are cameras in the foyer so the person visiting the school can be seen and checked out before entering.

The upgrades to West Elementary are part of a plan to update all of the 22 buildings in the school district.

Seven buildings have already been secured.

ABC 17 first reported on this plan earlier this year after the Jefferson City Police Department did security assessments on the district buildings and requested the improvements.

School officials said the changes will help put parents’ minds at ease.

West Elementary Principal Brandi Fatherly said, “I think it definitely gives the building and the parents a sense of security to know that anybody that enters the building now is going to have to go through the office and be part of the system to get into the building.”

The security upgrades should be done by the end of the school year. The total cost will come in at about $2.4 million.