School taking virtual day Monday to implement changes.
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Columbia High Principal Trey Hosford talks with Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter at Tiger Stadium on Friday night after two armed teens climbed a fence attempting to get in. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)
When students next return to Columbia High School, they’ll be greeted by something new at the door: metal detectors.
In a video posted on the school’s Facebook page Sunday, CHS Principal Trey Hosford announced the school will have a virtual learning day Monday to allow district staff time to make necessary security changes at the school.
“We’ve got some plans in place,” Hosford said. “We’ve heard you talk about metal detectors over the last year and we’re ready to make that happen here at CHS. We know we have to do it.
“When your child comes on Tuesday morning, they will walk through a metal detector. We will be prepared to start Tuesday morning moving forward. Safety is No. 1. It’s a priority. It always has been and it always will be.”
The Columbia County School District said in a release Sunday evening that the decision to close the school and implement metal detectors is a testament to the school's unwavering commitment to student safety. The installation of metal detectors will serve as an additional layer of security, providing reassurance to both students and parents alike.
<"We understand the concerns raised by our community, and we take them very seriously," Lex Carswell, superintendent of Columbia County Schools, said in a release. “The temporary closure and installation of metal detectors are proactive steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. We believe that by implementing these measures, we can provide the peace of mind that our students and their families deserve."The changes come after two armed teens - 18-year-old Anthony Smith and a 17-year-old whose identity has not been released since he’s a juvenile - climbed a fence trying to get into Tiger Stadium during the CHS football game Friday night. The incident caused the game to be postponed until Saturday night where the remainder was played in Gainesville instead of at CHS.
The armed males were quickly detained by Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputies and arrested.
There was also a fatal shooting Thursday night in which a 12-year-old Richardson Sixth Grade Academy student was killed at her house.