Project Grant 15JCOPS23GG04613SSIX

HUERFANO SCHOOL DISTRICT SERVES ROUGHLY 540 STUDENTS ACROSS A LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA INCLUDING WALSENBURG, GARDNER AND RURAL AREAS OF HUERFANO COUNTY. OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT FACES SEVERAL CONDITIONS IMPACTING AN INCREASED RISK FOR CRIME. ACCORDING TO THE FBI'S UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING PROGRAM, FACTORS LEADING TO A HIGHER RISK OF CRIME IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT INCLUDE PROXIMITY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO INTERSTATE 25, TRANSIENT POPULATIONS, AND HIGH POVERTY LEVEL COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE STATE. OF ALL THE FACILITIES IN OUR DISTRICT, JOHN MALL JR. SR. HIGH SCHOOL FACES THE GREATEST RISK DUE TO THE AGE AND CONDITION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE BUILDING. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS NOT ONLY RECEIVED A FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT FROM THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN 2018 BUT ALSO FROM SECURITY CONSULTANTS AND ENGINEERS THE DISTRICT HIRED IN 2020. OUR SCHOOL WAS FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE A HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT FOR NEW CARD READERS AND A SECURITY SYSTEM. THIS ALONG WITH A NEW FIRE ALARM PANEL THAT ALLOWS ANY PANIC BUTTON TO IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY FIRST RESPONDERS OF A THREATENING SITUATION HAS GONE A LONG WAY TO IMPROVING THE SECURITY OF OUR SCHOOLS. HOWEVER, OUR SCHOOL STILL LACKS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL ALLOW FOR QUICK MESSAGING TO STUDENTS, ALLOW FOR QUICK LOCKING DOORS IN CLASSROOMS, OR ALLOW BETTER MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL VISITORS. WE ARE SEEKING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE FOLLOWING SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS. NEW INTERCOM SPEAKERS THAT INTEGRATE WITH THE EXISTING VOIP PHONE SYSTEM ALLOWING AUTOMATED MESSAGES IN THE EVENT A LOCKDOWN BUTTON IS PRESSED OR FOR STAFF TO SEND MESSAGES THROUGH THE VOIP HANDSETS. THIS ALLOWS FOR IMMEDIATE COMMUNICATION OF A POTENTIAL THREAT. WE ARE PROPOSING 114 SPEAKERS IN OUR SCHOOL TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS HEAR MESSAGES NO MATTER THEIR LOCATION. SECURE VESTIBULE AT FRONT ENTRANCE. THE EXISTING VESTIBULE AT THE SCHOOL IS NOT ADJACENT TO ANY OFFICE FOR FRONT DESK. STAFF MUST USE A CAMERA TO ALLOW VISITORS ACCESS INTO THE BUILDING. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE SAFETY, WE ARE PROPOSING INSTALLATION OF A SECONDARY SET OF DOORS AND A CHECK IN WINDOW TO THE RECEPTION AREA. THIS WILL ALLOW RECEPTION TO IDENTIFY THREATS IN A SECURE VESTIBULE BEFORE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE SCHOOLS. NEW SECURITY CAMERAS WILL BE INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING. A TOTAL OF 37 CAMERAS WILL BE PART OF A VERKADA SECURITY SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS FOR FACIAL RECOGNITION AND INTELLIGENT RECORDING. NEW DOOR HARDWARE TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS AND ALLOW ALL CLASSROOMS TO EASILY LOCK DOORS. ALL DOORS WITH CARD READERS WILL HAVE ELECTRIC STRIKES. IN THE EVENT OF A POWER OUTAGE, THESE STRIKES WILL LOCK. IN ADDITION, EACH CLASSROOM OR AREA OF REFUGE WILL HAVE DOOR HANDLES OR PANIC BARS WITH THE ABILITY TO LOCK WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON. THIS WAY, STAFF AND STUDENTS CAN IMMEDIATELY SHELTER IN PLACE WITHOUT THE USE OF A KEY. LOW VOLTAGE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE INSTALLED TO POWER ALL NEW DEVICES.