By KATIE MCDOWELL/Lifestyles Editor

The Shelby County Board of Education approved new principals at two local elementary schools during its Dec. 20 meeting.

Celita Carmichael Deem was approved as the Calera Elementary principal, while Dr. Allison Campbell was approved as the principal of Montevallo Elementary.

Deem served as the assistant principal of Inverness Elementary for six years. Prior to that, she served as a teacher for eight years. Deem has a bachelor’s of science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as well as a master’s degree and educational administration degree from Samford University.

Campbell has served in Shelby County schools for 13 years, including the last five years as assistant principal at Calera Intermediate. She also taught four years each at Vincent Elementary and Columbiana Middle. She received bachelor’s, master’s and education specialist degrees from the University of Montevallo and a doctor of education in educational leadership from Samford University.

In other business, Superintendent Randy Fuller updated the board about steps being taken to increase security in local schools following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut on Dec. 14.

“It’s a sad time in our country for educators,” he said.

Fuller said the school system worked with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and municipal law enforcement to have a uniformed officer in every school in the week following the shooting. He also met with Sheriff Chris Curry Dec. 20 to discuss safety plans when students return to school after the winter break.

Board Member Steve Martin voiced concern about older schools that do not have a checkpoint at the entrance. Typically, those schools have a main office located in a room on the right or left of the entrance.

“There’s not foolproof way to prevent something like this from happening,” he said.

Fuller said central office employees and the school’s architect visited a school with a buzz-in entrance on Dec. 18. He said several options are being reviewed for schools throughout the system.