WATERLOO - Academics suffer when students do not feel safe in school.

That's the belief of Ken Trump, National School Safety and Security Services CEO, who has been assessing the places students learn for more than 15 years.

His point was proved at East High School April 29, the day after 18-year-old Kevin Garcia was stabbed to death in Exchange Park. Rumors flew around East something was going to happen at school that day.

"We had 400 to 500 parents come and get their kids out of school," said Waterloo Community Schools Superintendent Gary Norris. "(Parents) want confidence that we're delivering the best education possible, and they want confidence that our buildings are safe."

Norris realized that confidence needed to be bolstered as soon as possible. As a result, the Board of Education approved a $57,750 contract May 11 with Trump's Cleveland-based company, which completed a safety assessment of all district schools last week.

"Since I was hired, one of the things that keeps coming (up) over and over is kind of the image of the school district," said Norris. With the help of recommendations in Trump's forthcoming report, he hopes to show that district schools are safe and improve the community's perception of them.

"You really have to assess school safety on a district-by-district basis," said Trump, who walked through every district building with the help of two colleagues. "First thing we look at, from my opinion, is leadership. What's the commitment of the board, superintendent, principals to build school safety?"

"School safety is competing in a lot of districts for money and for time," Trump said.

He said "parents should feel confident that it's a priority" in Waterloo after his meetings with board members, central administrators, bus officials and staff at many district schools.

"I'd say that we've been very, very impressed with the building principals," he said, noting they plan with safety in mind. "There's a recognition that that's directly tied to academic achievement. That's a very positive thing to see."

Norris already has ideas about improving school safety.

"We are going to begin really studying the perimeters of our schools," he said. "Smart use of fencing" that ensures only a single entry is accessible into a school will be looked at, along with a system that alerts staff to other open doors. "Enhanced security training" will also be provided for hall monitors.

A number of community focus groups are planned to determine how to boost parent confidence. Meetings will be held to educate parents on signs of potential violence to watch for in their children. The district will also work with police on gang detection efforts.

Among Trump's recommendations will be to provide ongoing staff training, continue working with the emergency management agency, hold a minimum number of emergency drills at schools, put administrators through planning exercises regularly and ensure policies are consistent.

"A lot of what schools need to do doesn't necessarily cost a lot of money," said Trump, adding that cameras and metal detectors usually aren't the key to learning about weapons at school.

"We believe the first line of defense" is teachers and students, he said. The "physical security piece" at a school "is a supplement to - but not a substitute for - the people behind it."