CENTRAL, Va. – In Amherst County, six out of 10 schools will see security upgrades.
"We were awarded a little bit over $58,000 and that money will go to entry systems and to majority of the schools. As well as provide a new intercom PA system here at Amherst Elementary School," Dr. Williams Wells, assistant superintendent, said.
School leaders said staff and personnel can only enter school buildings with a key or be buzzed in by the front office.
"We have a lot of keys out there. People can make copies of keys and things like that. So, we felt going to a keyless entry and that type of system will give us more building control," Wells said.
Appomattox County will get an upgraded entry system too, using more than $89,000 to make changes.
"Last year, upgraded all the locks on the classroom doors, things like that. This is kind of what we focused on this year," Matt Wallin, Appomattox County school psychologist, said.
10 News checked with other schools in the region.
Bedford County will be given more than 23,000 for Stewartsville and Thomas Jefferson elementary schools. Officials said the money will be used to upgrade outside doors and other upgrades they can not go into detail about.
Lynchburg was given more than $66,000 for eight schools. They are: Carl B. Hutcherson Building, Dearington Elementary/Innovation, E.C. Glass High, Fort Hill Community, Paul Munro Elementary, Perrymont Elementary, Sandusky Elementary and Sheffield Elementary
Division leaders will install a controlled button -- providing lockdown capabilities to electronically controlled access doors and replace intercoms at two schools.
For a full list of all the school divisions in the Commonwealth, click the website below.
https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2018/october/headline-831757-en.html