FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The kids who attend Cumberland County's 52 elementary schools may notice some changes when they go back to class on Aug. 27. Officials have made lots of security upgrades to all of those campuses.

• Schools have received complaints about the look of all the locked fences and doors
• Upgrades happening for middle and high schools as well
• About $4.5 million spent on the enhancements

They say they've received some complaints about the look of all the locked fences and secure doors at the schools. But they say having these kind of safety barriers at schools is a sign of the times.

"We're not so worried about cosmetics, we're worried about the security of the schools so that kids can feel safe, the staff can feel safe and the parents can feel safe when they drop their kids off at our schools," said Bruce Morrison, Cumberland County Schools Director of Safety and Security.

Officials are just getting started with the security improvements for all schools in the county. Upgrades are ongoing for the middle and high schools there.

So far, about $4.5 million has been spent for these enhancements.