LEE COUNTY, Fla.- The Superintendent for Lee County Public Schools has released a statement in the wake of last week's Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

The shooting took the lives of 27 people, including the 20-year-old gunman, Adam Lanza.

In the memo released today, Dr. Joseph Burke reassures parents that schools are coordinating with law enforcement to assure both prevention and response. He says they will be reinforcing the single point of entry concept at each school site and reviewing emergency procedures with staff.

Dr. Burke also says counselors and social workers are available to assist students.

He says they are discussing adding more school resource officers, but that is a budget issue. He says right now there is an officer at each high school and they share responsibilities at the middle and elementary schools.

Dr. Burke says now is the time for everyone to be more attentive than ever before about what goes on in and out of the classroom. He says, "we're going to ask our people to survey the school grounds in the morning and afternoon, we're going to emphasize single point of entry."

He adds, "we are going to do everything we can to make sure nothing like this happens in our community and our principals are going to be very conscious over the next few months to try to ensure the safety of our students in our schools."

Dr. Burke says right now the schools practice two active-shooter lock-down drills each school year, but that may increase.

He says he hopes society will take a closer look at mental health issues. 

He says the district's emergency and safety plans are certified by the state.

Click here to read the entire statement.