The shooting at a Connecticut elementary school Friday that killed dozens of people, including at least 20 children, has prompted questions about the security measures in place at Dayton-area schools.

“It puts everyone on hyper-vigilance; it is human nature,” said Jill Moberley, Dayton Public Schools spokeswoman, of the shooting’s relation to Dayton. “We want to assure parents that Dayton Public Schools has a districtwide security protocol in place at all of its schools.”

Northmont Superintendent Sarah Zatik added that every time there is an incident like this, it is extremely tragic.

“It brings us to look at our own security and safety plan to make sure we have everything in place,” she said.

State law requires all Ohio school boards to adopt a comprehensive school safety plan for each school building. Districts must have a protocol for addressing serious threats to safety and any emergency events that could compromise the safety of students or staff.

That plan, often created with the help of local law enforcement officers, must be updated at least once every three years. Copies of the school safety plan and blueprints must be filed with local law enforcement agencies and the fire department, and filed with the attorney general’s office.

Ohio Acting Superintendent Michael Sawyers said Friday that the Ohio Department of Education also encourages all school districts to go beyond the minimum requirements of the law.

“Schools cannot do this without a partnership between parents, communities and local safety officials,” he said. “Please continue to be proactive in doing everything possible to protect students.”

Dayton-area educators reported consistently reevaluating security policies and efforts within that plan throughout the school year and during the summer, and conducting lockdown drills multiple times per year.

“We have a monthly administrators’ council meeting, and we’re always talking about the safety of our kids and of our staff,” said Tom Henderson, Centerville superintendent. “There are drills that we practice every month.”

Bob Chabali, Assistant Chief of Dayton Police, said officers and SWAT members train in school and business settings regularly as well so that they can be prepared for any situation.

“Once that first shot is fired it’s a tragedy,” he said. “Prevention is the key.” Local SWAT officers have actually conducted trainings for some of the officers who responded to Friday’s shooting.

Peg Engelhardt, principal of Oakview Elementary School in Kettering, said every incident — unfortunately — is a new lesson.

“Those procedures and recommendations and strategies change all the time based on what police learn,” Engelhardt said. “There are always vulnerabilities and the more we’re aware of them the more we address them. But we’ve gotten better and better and less and less vulnerable.”

At some local districts, including Dayton and Bellbrook-Sugarcreek, visitors have to be buzzed in to have access to individual school buildings. At other districts, all doors except the main entrance are locked and visitors must sign in and wear badges while within the school.

High schools often have security officers on site, while elementary and middle schools usually have school resource officers who spend time at multiple schools in that district.

Engelhardt said it can be a fine line between making families feel welcome and keeping kids safe at school.

“It takes all of us to always be on the lookout, and always be assertive in making sure people are where they are supposed to be,” she said Friday. “We are parents of these kids for 6½ hours per day, so its difficult not to be emotional when something like that happens.”

Dayton Superintendent Lori Ward said her heart goes out to the families touched by the tragedy and “the loss of innocent life. It just makes no sense.”

Ward said district officials wait until they have all the facts after something like this happens to see if there is anything they can learn in terms of improving security or safety protocols.

Some local parents said despite good security at their children’s schools, they were still shaken by Friday’s news.

“I was shocked,” said Cleveland Elementary School parent Sharon Tracy. “I immediately wanted to get in my car and come pick my son up from school.”

Brandi Young is a mother of five and her daughter is in kindergarten at Cleveland. She said no one should be able to get into a school without going through security. “I don’t care if my kids have gone to the school for four years, I should have to go through security to get to my own child,” she said.

Both women said they think Dayton Public Schools does a good job of ensuring student safety.

“We’ve never had any problems here,” Tracy said. “But then again, I’m sure that the parents in Connecticut felt the same way when they sent their kids to school today too.”

Mary Beth DeWitt, a psychologist at Dayton Children’s Medical Center said it’s likely that children will see the news coverage and hear others discussing the tragedy and they will have questions and concerns.

“Children have the same anxieties and uncertainties that we have when hearing this devastating news,” she said. “It gives us a nice opportunity to talk to them about having those emotions and how best to cope with those emotions.”

She said some children may feel scared or unsafe going back to school.

“You need to reassure them that the teachers are there to keep them safe,” she said.

The most important thing is for kids to feel like they can share their feelings and that their fears and anxieties are understandable.

DeWitt recommended asking if children have any questions about the news they’ve seen, or starting by explaining how you are feeling.

She said it is important that kids do go right back to school even if they are scared. “We have to reassure them that there are trusted adults at school and at home that are going to take care of them.”

She also recommended limiting how much television footage children watch of the shooting because you can’t predict what information will be broadcast.

School officials across the area said they would make counselors available if students want to talk or ask questions Monday regarding the shooting or other safety concerns.

President Obama has asked that flags across the nation be flown at half-staff through Dec. 18 in memory of those killed in Newtown today.

“In the words of Scripture,” he said, “Heal the broken hearted, and bind up their roots.”

Staff writers Kyle Nagel, Katie Wedell and Mandy Gambrell contributed to this report.