Oneonta City School District interim superintendent David Rowley has been fielding calls from concerned parents since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Conn.

Rowley has been assuring parents that the school district has specific security measures and practices in place to handle any situation.

"We continue to do what we've always done with security practices," he said. "However, we have been practicing over the course of the fall our lock down drill, which is exactly what they used in Connecticut. Obviously, this week we will be available and visible and continue to look at what we do and what we've been doing for a very long time.

"Anytime you have such a tragic incident, you have parents that are obviously concerned," he added. "It's a natural reaction for parents. We have had some parents call and we are trying to reassure them that schools are safe and we are looking to even improve our safety."

These concerns come as voters mull a proposed $4.6 million capital project that aims to enhance security at Oneonta City Schools. The project, of which 70 percent will be covered by the state, will, among other things, increase point-of-entrance control and add 24-hour security surveillance.

The project goes to a public vote Jan. 8.

"It's geared to create what safety people call 'single point of entry' -- one entrance to the building that all non-school personnel will come through," Rowley said. "They will be locked and under camera surveillance. That is exactly what we need to do."

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