Portsmouth City Schools went into immediate lockdown Thursday, during the stabbing and shooting of a teacher at Notre Dame Elementary School.

Jan Broughton, PCS superintendent, said the action was taken to ensure safety of the children.

"We practice these kinds of drills, and the staff knows what to do," Broughton said. Classes remained in lockdown until Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner gave the OK to release them to their parents, she said.

"We've been debriefing, and feel comfortable with what we did," Broughton said.

She emphasized parents sometimes don't understand a lockdown plan.

"It's no one in, no one out," Broughton said. "The lockdown seemed to go very well, and the staff and students took it seriously."

Each school day, all the school doors except the main entrance are locked once the students are in their classrooms. That policy will not change, Broughton said.

All Scioto County schools have similar policies in place, but the shooting reminds school officials there can be dangers facing students and staff while at school.

Clay Local School District Superintendent Anthony Mantell said the lockdown drill has become as much a part of school safety as fire and tornado drills.

Speaking of Clay's crisis plan, he said, "We revisit it every year, and as we observe things that happen in other places, we make adjustments."

Rick Kerrington, superintendent at Bloom-Vernon Local School District, said the schools have a lockdown procedure for the campuses in the school district.

"We practice it every year and review it every year," he said. The school makes minor changes to the plan when needed, he said.

Mark Knapp, superintendent at Wheelersburg Schools, said while specifics of the lockdown plan are not discussed, he said, "As soon as we're given notice of a situation, procedures are put into place."

The lockdown plan, he said, "Is approved and reviewed and updated periodically, and as new staff members come