Project Grant 15JCOPS23GG04830SCAX

WHITE, COUNTY OF INCS PROPOSAL WHITE COUNTYS KEYS TO SAFETY: A GRANT FOR STRENGTHENING SCHOOL SECURITY MEASURES IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR INTEGRATING UPGRADES TO THE EXISTING SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES ON ALL EIGHT SCHOOL CAMPUSES. THE THREE AREAS OF FOCUS WILL BE CAMERAS, COMMUNICATION, AND CONTROL OF ACCESS TO ADDRESS OUR IDENTIFIED WEAKNESSES. THE GOAL IS TO ENHANCE THE ABILITY TO PROACTIVELY MONITOR BOTH THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF THE BUILDINGS, PROVIDE RELIABLE COMMUNICATION FOR PROMPT RESPONSES TO EMERGENCIES, AND CONTROL ACCESS TO ENSURE DOORS CAN BE LOCKED AND UNLOCKED APPROPRIATELY AND SWIFTLY. CURRENTLY MOST SCHOOLS IN OUR SYSTEM HAVE INTERIOR CAMERAS THAT COVER HALLWAYS AND ARE USED FOR MONITORING STUDENT AND VISITOR ACTIVITY. THE SVPP GRANT WILL ALLOW FOR EXTERIOR CAMERAS TO FOCUS ON PARKING LOTS, LOADING DOCKS, AND ENTRANCES. EACH SCHOOL HAS A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER THAT CAN MONITOR CAMERAS ONSITE TO THEN BE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY ADDRESS ANY AREAS OF CONCERN. TWO SCHOOLS THAT HOUSE 35% OF THE DISTRICTS ENROLLMENT HAVE INTERCOM SYSTEMS THAT ARE UNRELIABLE AND SOMETIMES DO NOT CONNECT WITH ALL AREAS OF THE BUILDING, RESULTING IN LACK OF COMMUNICATION THAT MAY NECESSITATE A PROMPT RESPONSE. THE THIRD FOCUS OF GRANT FUNDS IS A LARGE PROJECT FOR A COHESIVE LOCK SYSTEM IN EACH BUILDING. OVER YEARS OF MAINTENANCE, SCHOOLS ARE FACED WITH A LARGE SET OF KEYS TO FUMBLE THROUGH TO GAIN ACCESS TO NEEDED SPACES. A NEW SYSTEM WOULD ALLOW A SCHOOL TO HAVE ONE KEY FOR ALL INTERIOR DOORS, A SECOND KEY FOR ALL EXTERIOR DOORS, AND THE KEYS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE ACCESS CONTROL PROJECT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE REPLACING WORN DOOR CLOSURES AND LATCHES THAT NO LONGER FUNCTION WELL AND A VISITOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR ALL SCHOOLS. BEING LOCATED IN A RURAL AREA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS ALWAYS GIVEN SAFETY A MEASURE OF CONCERN, BUT IN SPRING 2022 THE DIRECTOR CHOSE TO MAKE SAFETY THE 2022-2023 FOCUS. SOON AFTERWARD, THE UVALDE INCIDENT MADE SCHOOL PERSONNEL RETHINK PREVIOUS PLANS. EXTRA EFFORTS WERE PUT INTO UPDATING SCHOOL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS, MAKING CAMERAS ACCESSIBLE TO THE 911 CENTER, AND IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEM TO ENSURE SROS CONDUCTED MULTIPLE CHECKS FOR LOCKED DOORS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. STUDENT RECOGNITION AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS FOR LEADERSHIP WITH BULLYING PREVENTION, EMPATHY, AND KINDNESS REINFORCED MENTAL HEALTH AS A SAFETY CONCERN. OUR COUNTY IS LESS THAN TWO HOURS AWAY FROM NASHVILLE, THE LOCATION OF THE COVENANT SCHOOL SHOOTING IN MARCH. THE DISTRICT IS THANKFUL FOR THE INCREASED MEASURES WE HAVE TAKEN DURING THIS SCHOOL YEAR TOWARD SAFETY, BUT THE GRANT FUNDING WILL PROVIDE IN THREE YEARS ADDITIONAL LAYERS OF SECURITY THAT WOULD TAKE A DECADE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH OUR CURRENT BUDGET. PARENTS OF THE APPROXIMATE 3,750 STUDENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF 700 EMPLOYEES HAVE THE EXPECTATION THAT THEIR FAMILY WILL BE TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE DAY. BEING AWARDED THE SVPP GRANT WILL COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKE THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE WHILE IN OUR CARE.