Updated 6:25 p.m.

The Paulding County Sheriff's Office released this statement just after 6 p.m. Friday:

The Paulding County Sheriff's Office would like to echo the sentiments of the Paulding County School District and remind everyone that our children's safety is paramount. We strive to ensure each child's safety and are deeply saddened by the tragedy in Connecticut.

Original report

In the wake of the fatal shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., officials with the Paulding County School System released to Dallas-Hiram Patch this statement:

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and community of Newtown, Connecticut. The Paulding County School District is committed to student safety. Each of our schools operates under a safety plan that is based on the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) model. In addition to their plan, each school and our district has a safety team. The local safety team is responsible to disseminating information to their staff in addition to playing a specific role in the event of emergency.

The Paulding County School District has been very fortunate to partner with our local Sheriff's Department and GEMA to host three different multi-agency emergency drills (passive shooter, plane crash with mass casualties, and an active shooter drill). These drills have been excellent training for our staff, as well as, an opportunity for other agencies to practice their response to a real emergency.

We are committed to student safety and will continue to refine our practices so that our students can attend school and learn in a safe and secure environment.

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