In just a couple weeks, schools around the Valley will once again open their doors to students, but the students may be surprised by a few things they encounter.

R.E. Lee High School in Staunton is revamping their surveillance system and implementing staff and faculty identification cards. In a time when even schools aren't safe, faculty and staff are being forced to improvise.

Principal Mark Rowicki says, "If you come into a building and you're always worried about intruders or whatever, something happening, it's kind of hard to concentrate on what we're doing here, like teaching and learning."

Rowicki says their answer is a revamped surveillance system. The school started with 16 cameras a few years ago. Officials liked the software so much, they plan on upgrading to 64 cameras before school begins.

Rowicki says, "Basically what it means is we're going to have every part of the building under camera surveillance, except for private areas, such as bathrooms and locker rooms."

Rowicki has access to the entire system from the comfort of his office. He says 42 cameras will be used inside the building and 15 outside, with a few spares. Plus, the cameras save what they record for up to 90 days.

Rowicki says, "Whether it be a problem with students, something breaks in the building, or a flood or something, whatever happens, we'll have it on camera so we can see what's going on."

To improve school security even more, Rowicki says identification cards will be worn by faculty, staff, and guests.

"We just ordered 2,000 visitors passes and we're going to ask anybody that comes in the building, this is part of increased awareness of who's in the building, we're going to ask anybody that comes in to just check in, go in the office, and get a visitors pass," explains Rowicki.