Project Grant 15JCOPS23GG04526SSIX

INTEGRATED MASS COMMUNICATION AND ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS FOR COCKE COUNTY SCHOOLS COCKE COUNTY, ON THE EASTSIDE OF TENNESSEE, EAST OF KNOXVILLE AND WEST OF THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS. THE ENTIRE COUNTY IS IN PERSISTENT POVERTY (GRANT PROJECT LOCATION VERIFICATION WEBSITE). OUR US CENSUS POVERTY RATE IS 32.20%, WITH A MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF $33,736 AND PER CAPITA INCOME OF $17,764. THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH RATE IS 100%. OUR ENROLLMENT IS 4,333 STUDENTS. WE HAVE 5 SCHOOLS, AVERAGING 55 YEARS OF AGE. PER PUPIL SPENDING IS $6,915. ALL FIVE OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE IN CERTIFIED OPPORTUNITY ZONES. VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED, ANNUALLY, BY THE TN DEPARTMENT HOMELAND SECURITY. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROVIDES THE FORMAT OF THE ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS COMPLETED BY THE SCHOOL SAFETY TEAM WITH THE GUIDANCE OF HOMELAND SECURITY. OUR TEAM INCLUDES SCHOOL STAFF, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THE SRO, TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR, SUPERVISOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS, AND THE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REQUIRES AN EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN FOR EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN ALIGNS WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITIES EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN. A REVIEW OF THE PLAN IS CONDUCTED ANNUALLY, AND AN ASSESSMENT IS CONDUCTED OF THE PLAN FOR EACH SCHOOL BUILDING. OUR WHOLE SCHOOL INTERVENTIONS WORK TO EXAMINE STUDENT INFORMATION AND DATA, OBSERVE TRENDS, AND PROVIDE INTERVENTIONS THAT HELP ALL STUDENTS BECOME MORE SUCCESSFUL IN A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. SOME STUDENTS NEED FURTHER INTERVENTIONS, OR BEHAVIOR EVENTS OCCUR AND MORE SUPPORTIVE INTERVENTIONS ARE NEEDED. IN CASES WHERE THE SCHOOL'S RESOURCES MAY NOT BE ENOUGH, OUR SCHOOL TEAMS USE OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO HELP US INTERVENE WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS WORKS CLOSELY IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE WITH THE SCHOOL SAFETY MENTORS PROGRAM. THE SCHOOL SAFETY MENTORS PROGRAM ALSO UTILIZES THE SAFE AND SOUND SCHOOLS PROGRAM THAT IS RECOGNIZED AROUND THE NATION. THE STAFF IS INVOLVED WITH PROVIDING MENTORSHIP AND INFORMATION TO NOT ONLY TRAIN AND GUIDE THEIR STAFF FOR THEIR COUNTY SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO OTHER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE OF TENNESSEE TO DEVELOP AND REFINE SCHOOL SAFETY. WE ARE SEEKING FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE OUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT SAFE AND PROVIDE A SECURE FEELING TO OUR STUDENTS. THESE ARE THE PROJECTS AS DETERMINED BY OUR TEAM, BASED ON OUR SELF-ASSESSMENT AND THE HOMELAND SECURITY ASSESSMENT, TO FILL OUR GAPS AND INCLUDE: CONTROL CENTER EQUIPMENT FOR DISTRICT-WIDE EMERGENCY BROADBAND AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS CONTROL CENTER, INTERCOM/NETWORK/PA UPGRADES, MAIN OFFICE PHONE UPGRADES, EMERGENCY CALL / DOOR ENTRY SUPERVISED SWITCHES, PA SPEAKERS, MASS COMMUNICATION AT COSBY ELEMENTARY/COSBY HIGH SCHOOL, EXTERIOR DOOR ELECTRONIC ACCESS CONTROL, CAMERAS FOR VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM - 4 CAMERAS AT EACH SCHOOL, AND PANIC BUTTON TO FIRST RESPONDER NOTIFICATION. THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL IMPACT TO HELP IMPLEMENT THIS PROJECT FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH WAS DONE WITH THE SCHOOL SAFETY TEAM AND OUR OUTSIDE PARTNERS. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL TAKE US INTO THE FUTURE IN THE LONG TERM.