FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Slow carpool lines, flustered students, scheduling errors: There was typical first-day-of-school confusion on Monday in Palm Beach County, with a new twist.
Students encountered drastically increased teams of security personnel, as well as many new locked doors and closed gates. Teachers also funneled students into designated areas before the school day instead of letting them wander around campus.
These are just a few of many new security measures, implemented now for the first time, after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre on Feb. 14.
"Security is definitely a priority," said Allison Castellano, new principal at Omni Middle School in Boca Raton. "I don't think students can learn if they don't feel safe."
The school district reported its buses were mostly on schedule, a contrast to 2015 when the majority of buses were late or never came. The district attributed that fiasco to a "perfect storm" of insufficient testing of new software, a shortage of bus drivers and inadequate communication with parents.
Students said they were conscious of the new security measures but were unperturbed.
"I'm happy to be back," said Omni seventh-grader Meygan Thompson, 12. "I did notice more security, but we've never felt unsafe here."
Omni students were thrilled that one long-time restriction was relaxed this year: They no longer have to wear collared shirts, a requirement that had been designed to discourage distracting attire as well as clothing competition.
But the new principal decided enforcing the uniform policy took too much time for the staff. She is also allowing students to wear sweatpants every other Friday if their families make a $20 donation to the PTSA.
