Project Grant 15JCOPS23GG04530SSIX

LEBANON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT 009 IS LOCATED 80 MILES SOUTH OF PORTLAND OREGON. THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES COVER A LARGE RURAL AREA AROUND THE TOWN OF LEBANON. THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE NECESSITY TO SECURE FUNDS, BY ALL LEGITIMATE FUNDING SOURCES, FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF ITS STUDENTS AND STAFF. OUR SCHOOL SAFETY TEAM IS SEEKING SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS THAT CAN FULLY INTEGRATE WITH OUR EXISTING ONES, AS WELL AS PROVIDING THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADD NEW SYSTEMS AS NEEDED. THIS PROPOSAL IS A FULLY INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY PROPOSAL WITH DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR A SCHOOL SAFETY PROFESSIONAL WHO IS NOT HIGHLY TRAINED IN INTERACTING WITH THESE SYSTEMS. THE DISTRICT IS ONLY INTERESTED IN NONPROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL INTEGRATE WITH ANY OTHER SYSTEMS WITHIN OUR NETWORK. THIS GRANT APPLICATION IS FOCUSED ON ENHANCING SECURITY SYSTEMS WITH MASS NOTIFICATION AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, NEW BUILDING WIDE PAGING CAPABILITIES, EXTERIOR DOOR ELECTRONIC ACCESS CONTROL, AND EXPANDED VIDEO SURVEILLANCE. THE DISTRICT IS THE MOST INEQUITABLY FUNDED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN OREGON. CONSIDERING STATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC K-12 SCHOOLS, OREGON RANKS 38 OUT OF 50. LEBANON RAISES FEWER LOCAL REVENUES THAN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WE ARE FORCED TO REDUCE SPENDING ON SECURITY MEASURES AND HALT UPGRADES ON SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES. OUR EQUIPMENT HAS LONG SINCE OUTLIVED ITS RECOMMENDED LIFE. FOUR SCHOOLS ARE IN A PERSISTENT POVERTY TRACT, WHILE TWO SCHOOLS ARE IN THE HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY TRACT (308.00 AND 309.03), WITH A MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF $57,176, A PER CAPITA INCOME OF $28,803, AND COUNTY POVERTY REMAINING ABOVE 11% SINCE 1990 (U.S. CENSUS). OUR SCHOOL SAFETY EFFORTS HAVE BEEN BUILT UPON RELATIONSHIPS AND SHARING RESOURCES. WE DEPEND HEAVILY ON PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. MANY OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS ARE INFORMAL AND THESE OTHER AGENCY RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED TO THEIR MAXIMUM. ALTHOUGH LOCAL POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WOULD GLADLY SUPPORT US BY ATTENDING EVERY SCHOOL SAFETY DRILL, THE REALITY IS THEY CANNOT DO SO DUE TO LIMITED STAFFING AND OVERWHELMING NEED FOR THEIR SERVICES. OUR SAFETY TEAM CONDUCTED RISK ASSESSMENTS AT ALL OUR SCHOOLS (1/2023). THE ASSESSMENT WAS LED BY WILLAMETTE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DISTRICT. THOSE THAT PARTICIPATED INCLUDED WILLAMETTE ESD EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CONSULTANT, LINN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, LEBANON POLICE DEPARTMENT, LEBANON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER, AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH SCHOOL. THE SAFETY COORDINATOR WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, AND THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ENSURE PRINCIPALS ARE TRAINED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE IN IMPLEMENTING THE EMERGENCY PLAN WHEN INCIDENTS OCCUR. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL PROVIDE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN AND MAINTAIN THIS EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY FOR LONG INTO OUR FUTURE. TEN YEARS FROM NOW, WE EXPECT THAT WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, THESE SYSTEMS WILL STILL BE IN PLACE AND PROVIDING THE SAFEST CULTURE AND CLIMATE WE COULD PROVIDE IN LEBANON OR.