Hardee County schools safety specialist reports compliance progress, school-hardening projects and threat-management data

The Hardee County School Board received a detailed safety and security update on June 26 from the district's safety specialist, who summarized compliance inspections, ongoing school-hardening projects and threat-management outcomes.

The specialist said the district worked this year to implement changes required by a recent state law on school door and gate policies and to address compliance reviewer concerns. She told the board that Office of Safe Schools inspectors visited four campuses this year — Hardee High, Bowling Green Elementary, Hardee Junior High and Hilltop Elementary — and that those visits led to only minor corrective actions.

"This past year for Hardee schools was a good year in regards to safety and security," the safety specialist said, adding that compliance visits produced only a few items that required adjustment.

The presentation…