Most students and visitors have likely noticed the large rectangular frame being constructed at the main entrance of Coffee County Central High School. Less than a year after a national school walkout was orchestrated by students concerned with increasing gun violence and campus safety, CCCHS is allaying safety concerns through construction of a new secure entrance centered between two existing entrances.

While similar, this system will be slightly more complex than the one in place at Coffee County Raider Academy. Instead of being greeted by a secretary and granted access to the school when identification is verified, visitors will be required to declare their business and show picture identification to main office personnel via a speaker and camera system in the secured entrance. Access will then be granted or denied by the front desk.

Currently, students enter in the mornings through one of the three sets of doors at the main entrance or through the doors leading to the bus-loading zone. This procedure will remain the same; however, if a student must enter the building after school has begun, they will be required to enter through the secure entrance. All other doors will remain locked throughout the school-day.

In addition to securing entrance to the building, another safety measure was adopted over the summer vacation. A rear gate was added behind the school building in order to limit access to the shop area during and after school hours, but it is open for faculty and staff to enter in the mornings. They were also given a code to open the gate during school hours. 

This quick response to security concerns (scheduled to be completed in early February) is appeasing and with only one entrance being accessible to the school during the day, those troubled by the safety of their campus should be aptly reassured.