Palm Beach County School District superintendent discusses plans in aftermath of Newtown shooting

JUPITER, Fla. - School districts around the country are discussing ways to better protect children in the aftermath of the deadly Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that took the lives of 20 children and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut.

In Palm Beach County, Superintendent Wayne Gent told NewsChannel 5 on Saturday that the school district has systems in place to protect students and that he has increased security in all the schools.

"We have our own school police force and we'll have an increased presence (in schools)," Gent said.

Gent added that the district has crisis procedures and other systems in place that will be reviewed and that they will be incorporating any lessons that can be learned from the elementary school tragedy.

The superintendent also said that the district needs to maintain a balance between increased security and normalcy.

"We want our schools to be as normal as possible," he said. 

Gent emphasized that school police officers are alert to the situation and understand their role when it comes to violent situations.

"Our highest priority is the safety and security of our students and staff," Gent said.