The project to install safety features inside Covington County schools is nearing the end, Superintendent Shannon Driver said Tuesday.

Driver informed board members that the installation of new locks, exterior doors and electronic keypads is complete at two-thirds of the system’s schools.

“If what we did stops one child, one person from getting hurt, then it’s worth every penny we spent,” said Board President Jimmy Prestwood.

Driver said that the new locks will allow individual classrooms to be sealed off in the event of an emergency and that the project has greatly reduced the number of keys “floating around” to doors and gyms.

During the meeting, the board voted to solicit bids for a new air conditioning unit for the Straughn Middle School lunchroom and approved six personnel changes, including:

• granting 12 weeks of family leave to Kelley Garner, P.E. teacher at Pleasant Home;

• accepting the retirement resignation of Charlotte Wallace as counselor at Straughn Elementary, while hiring Kimberly “Mandy” Clark as Wallace’s replacement;

• accepting the resignation of Janice Locke as speech pathologist at SES. Locke has accepted a position as district representative for the Alabama Education Association;

• accepting the resignation of Brooke Center as teacher at SES effective Dec. 31;

• accepting the retirement resignation of Sherry Holloway, a teacher at Red Level Elementary, effective Dec. 1.