Cumberland County school district implement upgraded safety measures for new year
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Students at Spring Lake Middle School were welcomed with cheers and high-fives Monday morning from members of the Divine 9 sororities and fraternities.
"We know the first day of school can be a stressful time, so we want to make sure to support the kids," one member said.
Calming the concerns and bringing excitement, parents are just as excited. ABC11 caught up with Priscilla Johnson as she dropped off her son, Christopher at Spring Lake Middle.
When asked what he looking forward to this new school year, Christopher said: "getting good grades and making goals."
Parent Raul Palacios, who is also he county commissioner, said his son is a little concerned about starting a new school.
"He was scared that he was going to get lost," Palacios said. "In elementary school, you don't have the freedom to walk around...Today was just words of affirmation, you know? And so, we did a little prayer and that was it."
Spring Lake Middle Principal Royvel Godbolt showed ABC11 around and stopped by two classroom -- an English language arts class, and a eighth grade math class. He shared his vision for the year during the tour.
"My goal when I walk into any school building or any classroom is for students to love mathematics," he said. "I'm just excited to feed into more students within the school, engage them in learning...we want to be something positive."
In total, Cumberland County Schools welcomes back nearly 53,000 students Monday morning along with a team of 6500 teachers and staff.
New Safety Measures
Godbolt also addressed school safety during the middle school tour. The district is rolling out new metal detection system -- Spring Lake Middle will get its system in October.
The district is also implementing an upgraded visitor system and new protocols. The upgraded system will include advanced ID scanning technology to verify visitor identities. All visitors will present a government or state-issued ID.
WATCH | Cumberland Co. Schools superintendent says security is 'top priority'
Another big issue coming out of the district was school resource officers (SROs) after the sheriff's office decided to stop staffing those roles. The Cumberland County school district now has agreements with law enforcement agencies to act as SROs, including Spring Lake Police who will step in at Spring Lake Middle School.
The district is also implementing Say Something Anonymous Reporting App, allowing teachers and students to submit tips through the app, website or 24/7 crisis hotline.
The new app Alongside will also be available for mental health support.
Back-To-School Signs
Fayetteville Police Department are warning parents about the safety risks of posting their kids' first-day-of-school photos online with back-to-school signs.
Some signs reveal personal information, such as the child's full name and the school they are attending.
Authorities said that could attract scammers and expose your child to scammers. FPD has shared examples of ways to keep your personal information to a minimum.
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