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BOUNTIFUL — An elementary school in Bountiful started class Monday with new new security measures in place.
A group of parents concerned about access to Bountiful Elementary School raised more than $10,000 for the security upgrades. They held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the redesign at the start of the school year.
Teacher Lindy Crismer has worked at Bountiful Elementary for 28 years. She's advocated for upgrades during much of that time.
"For a long time, it really concerned me that we have seven or eight exterior doors and none of them were locked," Crismer said. "About two principals ago we had an incident where a child made some threats to some teachers and at that time none of the doors were locked."
Still, Crismer didn't feel like many people took the situation seriously.
"I know people think in Bountiful, Utah nothing is ever going to happen. But you talk to the police and they’ll tell you it will. It’s not if but when. I’ve just always wanted to be proactive."
During the last school year most of the exterior doors were locked. The front doors remained open to the public.
"We had a sign out in the hallway that said visitors please check in at the office and every day you could watch people walk right by the sign and never check in." Crismer said. "Up until this point it’s been OK, but you never know."
We had a sign out in the hallway that said visitors please check in at the office and every day you could watch people walk right by the sign and never check in. Up until this point it's been okay, but you never know.
–Lindy Crismer, teacher
Parent Brenda Raccuia's first-grader attends Bountiful Elementary. She also shared concerns over his safety.
"I just felt like I was tired of hearing news stories where children had either been abducted or taken or blown apart," Raccuia said. "I was tired of not having that safety. I recognized that I could walk in to that school at any time and no one knew I was there."
Raccuia has a background in security. She works on the safety committee at Mountain West Surgical Center and on the Emergency Preparedness Board at Lake View Hospital. When the principal asked her to head the school's Parent Teacher Association, she saw an opportunity.
She contacted the school board and local police chief, then started fundraising. Raccuia said many parents initially resisted the idea that more security was needed.
Bountiful Police Chief Tom Ross sided with Raccuia. Ross said one of the problems with older school buildings is they were built for access, not security.
"We live off 'this will never happen to me' attitudes. But we know every time we turn on the news that it happens to somebody."
Raccuia organized a fundraising walk, courted corporate sponsors and engaged parents and children in the effort.
"The kids went out and got pledges and donations and walked their heart out at our walk-a-thon," Raccuia said.
It took roughly $10,500 dollars to update the school's security. That involved blowing a hole through an interior wall, fitting all exterior doors with key-card readers and installing a push-button fail-safe.
Now, unlocked doors lead visitors straight to Bountiful Elementary's front desk. Staff members also have the ability to lock down the whole school with a single button.
Following the ribbon-cutting, Raccuia said she finally feels her kids are safe.
"I know that when I send my kid to school, once he’s in those doors and school has started, he’s in a safe environment."
Chief Ross also said other schools in the area are making updates and training teachers and students about how they should react in active-shooter scenarios.
Brianna is a reporter and weekend anchor for KSL News Radio. Contact her at: bbodily@ksl.com or on twitter: @briannabodily
