(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
ATHOL, Idaho -Gun-free schools zone no more at Athol Elementary.
Instead, the sign will notify people an armed guard is present.
The district says they chose Athol Elementary because it took deputies 22 minutes to respond to a 911 call at the school last year.
Lakeland School District Assistant Superintendent Lisa Sexton says Kootenai County commissioners denied their request for additional school resource officers, but they are getting closer to hiring an armed guard.
In a statement, the district tells KHQ it took all summer to ensure they had the correct job description and that the school board was comfortable with the way it was written.
The district says they’ve narrowed their search down to two individuals who are currently completing an extensive background and physical fitness test.
The additional information, along with interviews by the superintendent and school board, will help identify the top candidate who will then undergo more testing before a formal job offer is made, the district said.