AUSTIN (KXAN) — A nearby incident put Mariposa Montessori, near Brodie Lane and William Cannon Drive, on a brief lockdown Monday.

While the school said the incident was isolated – and involved a man firing a gun inside his home – it still put school leaders and parents on edge.

Leslie Harrington, head of school for Mariposa Montessori, said Monday’s lockdown highlights a bigger problem.

“In the last few years we’ve just seen an uptick in crime in this area,” she said.

In December, police arrested a man for breaking into the school early one morning. The school has since hired a security guard.

“We’re also looking at a bulletproof film that we’re going to put on all the windows. We plan on hiring a company to come in and do a security assessment. We’re adding new fencing around the perimeter of the school,” said Harrington.

Harrington has met with District 5 Council Member Ryan Alter about these concerns.

“They’ve had to deal with some safety concerns,” Alter said. “And instead of being able to invest in educational materials and toys – they’ve had to invest in fences and extra security and cameras. And that’s not something we want for anybody across the city.”

Harrington said a lot of the uneasiness from the staff comes from the nearby homeless encampment.

“I would like to see better mental health and help for the homeless population,” she said. “And we do have compassion for these individuals.”

A spokesperson for the city’s Homeless Strategy Division said several city departments are “engaged in addressing the site and are in communication with Mariposa Montessori school leadership.” The department is currently working to address the encampment itself, which also includes trash and debris in the neighborhood.

The Austin Police Department said “APD can and will provide direct patrols at the school to monitor for illegal activity as well as criminal trespass. This is not a dedicated presence, but rather a continuous and constant check-by to show officer presence.”

APD added that DPS assistance has helped free up APD officers to more consistently monitor the area.

“The biggest thing we can do as a City is create more transitional shelter housing,” said Council Member Alter.