In response to recent bomb and violence threats received by area high schools, officials are taking action and upping security to ensure the safety of students.

“Personal freedoms are going to change: That whole idea that we can go and come as we please — those days are gone,” said Ray Richardson, Ames Community Schools deputy superintendent.

“There is a certain fear factor,” he said. “[In the past] high school was fun. It was not a place you went that you were afraid of dying. Now that that fear factor has been introduced, it has changed how school can be, not only for the students, but for staff as well.”

Although Ames High sophomore Luke Anderson was arrested May 18 and charged in connection to two of the nine threats called into the high school, Richardson said officials are going to take the same precautions they did before the arrest.

“I’m not going to change the level of readiness or preparedness, regardless whether we get one, two or zero [more threats],” he said. “We are not going to take any chances.”

Although none of the searches done during the three evacuations at Ames High has yielded anything, Richardson said all threats are considered dangerous until they are proved to be false.

“They are all dangerous. We start with that as the [basis],” he said.

Richardson said administrators then look at the ability of the individual to carry out the threat that they suggested.

“It’s the kind of thing you really look at from the standpoint on whether you perceive the threat to be real,” he said. “The more specific the threat also makes a difference.”

Richardson said the need for tighter security resulting from the threats has lessened the high school’s availability to the community.

“Before the bomb threats, we were a community, and we believed the facilities to belong to the community,” he said. “Now what it’s done is restricted the freedom of use of the facilities.”

Richardson said before the threats, anyone could walk into the building, but now only a couple doors are open to outside entrants.

Visitors are required to sign in upon entering and security is on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The school has also required that all students remove their personal locks from hall lockers so they can be more easily searched in case of future evacuations.

Richardson said officials are looking into making some permanent physical changes to the school building including moving select doors to zone the building to limit access.

These changes would allow officials to close-off separate wings and more effectively direct people.

Richardson said several surveillance changes also are in the plan but declined to comment on details.

However, these changes will not come cheaply.

Richardson said the cost of security has already amounted to “thousands of dollars,” and construction on the building will cost much more. He said these changes must be looked at progressively.

“If we had one situation, not only the students, but their parents would look at this [as a good thing],” Richardson said. “I think they’re very appreciative that we are going to the lengths that we are to make sure students are safe in our facility.”

Richardson said changes must be made emotionally in the minds of students and staff as well as to the structure of the school.

“[Changes] need to be made not only physically, but also an awareness as to why and what for,” he said.

He said the pranks are a nuisance and create extra work for the education system.

“I think you have the whole issue of the copycats of the Littleton situation just praying on the system,” Richardson said. “There are sick people out there that think this kind of thing is funny.”

Ames is not the only high school having problems with copycat bomb threats.

Steve Buhrow, Colo-Nesco Community High School principal, said his high school has received one threat, but the written threat was discovered after it was supposed to happen.

He said the threat has caused officials to be more cautious.

“[We have] made sure the plans are ready to go so if something does happen,” he said. “We’re prepared. I think every school district around is keeping an eye on things.”