SERVING THE CLAY AND UNION COUNTY COMMUNITIES OF VERMILLION, BURBANK, AND MECKLING, THE VERMILLION PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT ENCOMPASSES 200 SQUARE MILES LOCATED NEAR INTERSTATE 29 IN SOUTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. THE DISTRICT OPERATES ONE HIGH SCHOOL, ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. CURRENT ENROLLMENT IS 1390 STUDENTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL SAFETY CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED. THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES SUCH AS SECURITY CAMERAS, WINDOW FILM, DOOR LOCK ACCESS AND TRAINING FOR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH A RISK ASSESSMENT THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 2022. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE STUDENT SAFETY AND INCIDENT RESPONSE THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY ACHIEVING THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: UPGRADE AND EXPANSION OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FOR THE VERMILLION SCHOOL DISTRICT. ACQUISITION AND INSTALLATION OF INTERCOM SYSTEMS AND INTERCOM DOOR CAMERAS TO ENHANCE COMMUNICATION FOR SCHOOL SAFETY. INSTALL WINDOW PROTECTION ON ALL LOWER-LEVEL FRONT WINDOWS: IMPLEMENT AN MOU WITH THE VERMILLION POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CLAY COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE. PROVIDE ALICE TRAINING FOR THE SRO. CONDUCT REGULAR TRAINING AND DRILLS. THESE MEASURES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO SCHOOL SAFETY BY ENSURING THAT IN THE CASE OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY, THE DISTRICT WILL HAVE ALL NECESSARY ITEMS IN PLACE FOR AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE RESPONSE. THE VERMILLION SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL PARTNER THE VERMILLION POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CLAY COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE, THE CITY OF VERMILLION, THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND PARENTS THROUGH THE PTA. STUDENTS WHO ATTEND SCHOOL IN THE VERMILLION SCHOOL DISTRICT IN CLAY COUNTY, SD, AS WELL AS STAFF AND PARENTS, WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PROJECT.