Enhanced School Security Coming to Council Rock
The school board will hire D’Huy Engineering to complete a project scope and budget preparation for a district-wide card access system and other security enhancement projects.
Council Rock is moving forward to implement enhanced security upgrades at district schools, including a card access system and secure office vestibules.
The school board on Thursday approved hiring D’Huy Engineering to complete a project scope and budget preparation for a district-wide card access system and other security enhancement projects. The district will pay D’Huy $16,800 to establish the work scope, prepare concept floor plans and calculate budgets for the enhancements.
From there, the district will use that information to bid out the work.
Because of the urgency of this work (the district wants it completed by the start of the next school year), “we have to try to make this as bidder friendly as possible,” Council Rock Supervisor of Operational Services Doug Taylor said.
Taylor told the board that in addition to the card readers to gain access to school buildings, the district will add remote release door hardware that would lock down the door between school offices and interior hallways.
Last month, Superintendent Mark Klein presented a series of security improvements recommended for Council Rock schools.
The recommendations include improved visitor controls, facility improvements, training, intervention and increased staffing. The administration based their recommendations on suggestions from the community through three public forums on school security that were held in response to the school shooting in Newtown, Conn.
Le Sheppard
11:34 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Still plenty of open public debate and conversation to be had on how far the scope and spending will go on security - hopefully - which is what I asked for. The schools have had many safety measures in place for years since Columbine (none of the schools now are as they were when we started in in 2003) and now all they want to do is tighten up those up things without making our public schools into prisons in a fiscally responsible way. Many of the "recommendations" have issues on cost versus effectiveness and other points in need of further public discussion in respect to these are security measures. Thursday's meeting (which I attended) was on starting the research into all these security measures being considered while starting the process on others. The more important part of this discussion was the conversation on while moving "fast" on this the board must being our direct elected representatives have knowledge of all actions and all decisions and have time to put good solid policies in place as a board ... le sheppard
Ken
4:05 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
I believe we need to explore the issue more fully before we invest $16,000 into developing a plan....other places have tried similar plans and realized:
1. It is not really a solution to the problem especially since where the tragedies happened had either such a system or even armed guards;
2. How big is this problem at CRSD where the doors are locked after children enter so everyone goes through a staffed entrance;
3. How to you counteract or prevent people with cards from being courteous and holding doors for others which would completely circumvent any benefits;
4. How to you address the many situations where people with passes lose them, misplace them, or they are stolen.
These are a few questions that should be asked and answered before the school who has cut programs enjoyed by the students, transportation for families, and instructional support, should clearly answer first, before spending $16,0000.
Le Sheppard
11:47 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
I strongly encourage everyone to get in the game and make your viewpoints known to the entire board and administration. Many of them tend to take the big ticket items like contracts "seriously" while letting these 10 to 50K expenditures be called "a cost of doing business" (as in 2 schools going over budget or these consultant costs). I think it ALL adds up. Your points on what was lost due to cuts, the cost compared to preventing a crazed act, and the wise time spent to research others who have tried these "solutions" are all valid and worth having on the table. Write them ALL your considerations. My comments on Thursday and here were comparing these 2 consulting line items as I continue to fight the Facilities "consulting fee" which (while being an improvement over the planned secret meetings we stopped - this time) are not "needed" except to create a shield against residents. My point was Security is not an issue of anyone's expertise in the district. Facilities and enrollment and redistricting are. Le Sheppard