As details continue to come out about the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., communities everywhere still are stunned from the events and have begun to look at the security of their local school districts.
As for the heads of local school districts, administrators around the county said they were saddened and shocked by the events last Friday, which left 28 people dead, mostly children.
"I was horrified. It's a horrific event," said Robert Grantier, Loyalsock Township School District superintendent. " ... Children and teachers - it's just horrible."
Dr. Portia Brandt, Muncy School District superintendent, said she broke down and cried upon hearing about the shootings.
The shooting left some districts looking at their procedures and how they could improve in order to better ensure the safety of their students and staff.
Richard Emery, Jersey Shore Area School District superintendent who watched the news coverage most of the day Dec. 14, said although they've held intruder drills with the state police earlier this year, only the high school participated.
"We are going to have to focus more on an intruder-type drill at all levels. We really haven't put a whole lot of focus at the elementary level," he said.
Other districts added that they routinely review procedures but also will look at how they can improve.
Williamsport Area School District has a team of administrators who regularly look at ways of securing buildings, and Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Kelley said each building also has a safety committee.
"We have a whole crisis management manual addressing everything from tornadoes to intruders in the buildings," Kelley said.
East Lycoming School District reviewed lockdown procedures with its staff recently, said Superintendent Michael Pawlik.
All districts spoken to are equipped with surveillance cameras at their buildings and only allow visitors in their buildings after being buzzed in by the front office. The visitor then must report directly to the office to be signed in before going anywhere.
Brandt explained that visitors are required to sign in so the district knows why the individual is entering the building.
"We need to know the purpose that you're coming into the building for the safety of students and staff," she said.
District leaders added that they constantly are reminding students to not open doors up for anyone, whether they know the individual or not. Everyone must go through the same sign-in procedure.
"Everybody knows everybody," Brandt said, "so we've had to caution children and staff people that when they see Johnny or Susie, not to just push the door open."
Grantier said Loyalsock Township also tries to keep an open communication line with families to keep them updated on any news.
And although procedures and plans may be in place at each district, Daphne Ross, Montgomery Area School District superintendent, explained that there's no preparing for a situation like the one that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
"There are procedures," she said, "but we feel very strongly that you can never set to paper exact procedures for such an instance that happened last Friday. You need to be able to use your resources."
Emery added that staff members in his district still were visibly upset by the tragic events this past week.
"Dealing with staff on Monday was not an easy thing. Many of our staff, especially on Monday, was still upset. We feel like that was part of our family. It was tough," Emery said.
Kelley added that she expects it'll take a "long time" for those affected by the shooting to heal. She said that districts do their best to keep staff and students safe, but the recent violence is not only happening in schools, but everywhere, saying it a "societal issue, it's not a school issue."
"I don't care what kind of security you have, no one is ever 100 percent safe in our society today," Kelley said.
School security has changed dramatically over the past 13 years. Superintendents said schools really began getting strict about sign-in policies and security after an incident that saw two students begin shooting inside Columbine High School in 1999.
Pawlik said that since those events, schools have been forced to increase security and educate students about procedures and how to deal with certain situations.
"It has become a focus. I think in our district, we've tried to create more barriers between (individuals) just walking in the building," Emery said. "Unfortunately, times have changed to the point where we have to take such measures."
And while Brandt would like to believe something as tragic as a school shooting wouldn't happen in her community, she said those in Newtown most likely thought the same.
"We can't dismiss it that this doesn't happen in Muncy. And we pray to God it doesn't happen anywhere else," Brandt said.
South Williamsport Area and Montoursville Area school districts did not return messages seeking comment for this story.
