THORNTON, Colo. -- School safety is certainly top of mind in Colorado the last week of February, after the shooting outside Deer Creek Middle School Tuesday.

Ironically, there was a conference on school safety already planned for Thursday.

“We need to take all reasonable steps to stop outside threats,” said John Suthers, Attorney General of Colorado. Suthers was the keynote speaker on Thursday. He was the first to address the audience of 350 educators and public safety leaders.

“These outside intruders is an additional threat we are trying to prepare for,” said Dr. Linda Kanan, of the Colorado School Safety Resource Center, referring to Tuesday’s shooting which occurred outside the middle school building, but on school property. Two students were shot before the gunman was tackled by a math teacher. Safety officials said preparation for such an event worked.

“We saw that having the staff supervision outside the school was essential,” said Kanan.

Unfortunately Colorado has had to deal with multiple school shootings. Columbine started the conversations. Platte Canyon advanced them.

As a result every school in Colorado must have an emergency plan. But officials said having a plan is not enough.

“Make sure that plan is up to date,” said William Modzeleski, of the U.S. Department of Education. “Make sure the plan is practiced. Make sure teachers understand what is in the plan. Make sure students know what the plan is.”

Modzeleski compares school safety to Olympians and their training.

“Their actions are second nature and we can take the same analogy over to the schools,” said Modzeleski. “Essentially we want them to drill so when something occurs they don't have to think. They don't have to look at a manual, or pick up the phone or call somebody and say what do I do? What they do is second nature to them.”

Part of that experts said is making sure each school has a school resource officer and if possible a security staff or a person who focuses just on security. But they admit those positions are disappearing because of budget cuts.