The Greater Essex District School Board wants to install security cameras and controlled access at more of its schools.

The board will seek provincial funding to make elementary schools safer.

Currently, there are cameras in seven of the board's 58 elementary schools.

Director of education, Warren Kennedy, said it costs about $3,000 per school to install security cameras.

The board is waiting for more information before applying for the cash.

In the meantime, there are ways to make schools safer right now.

"It is not the only step that we need to take to make sure that our students and staff are safe. There are some things that we need to continue doing like practising drills and just making sure that students are informed as to what should happen in the case of an emergency. That can be a tornado. That can be a lot of things," he said.

Kennedy said in the past, the practice has been to make a "site-based decision" when it comes to security.

If successful in receiving some of the provincial money, the rest of the schools would get security cameras and a form of controlled access, Kennedy said.

"This is something we really need to consider," he said. "It's funding the ministry is providing so why wouldn't we take advantage of that, too?"