Baltimore school officials respond to Connecticut School shooting

The Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools sent a heartfelt message through twitter after the school shooting in Connecticut.

Late Friday afternoon Dr. Dallas Dance released this statement.

“On behalf of Baltimore County Public Schools, I send our heartfelt sympathy to all the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School who are mourning the loss of life of their children and loved ones.  We are saddened and outraged by the tragedy.

“The safety of students, staff and visitors is our top priority.  To that end, I have charged the newly created Department of Safety and Security to review and evaluate our current crises plans.  BCPS is fortunate to have a strong and collaborative partnership with the police department.   Immediately upon learning of the tragedy, and even though there is not a threat to BCPS, the police chief and I were in contact to explore precautionary steps we needed to take to assure our students, parents and staff that we were increasing our vigilance in our schools.  As a result, the police instituted the “Keep A Check” Program where police officers began to visit our schools without school resource officers to make sure that schools are secure.

“BCPS joins the nation in mourning the senseless tragedy and loss of life at Sandy Hook Elementary School.” 

-Dr. S. Dallas Dance, Superintendent, Baltimore County Public Schools

Dallas Dance accepted his position last summer and immediately faced adversity during the first day of the school year when a student was shot inside the Perry Hall High School cafeteria.

In the days after the shooting at Perry Hall dance outlined safety as being his top priority. In his tweet today he said he is "furious."

Dallas Dance's tweet:

17 year old Daniel Borowy was left in critical condition after that shooting but he has since returned to school.

The shooting at Perry Hall HS lead to security changes at Baltimore County High Schools. School resource officers are now carrying security wands to help them detect metal.

The tweet from Dance was in response to the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. At least 27 people are dead, 18 are children.

Officials are calling it one of the worst school shootings in the country's history.