Safety among top priorities for Jackson County schools

By CHRISTINA BRIGHT, Staff Writer
JACKSON COUNTY — Safety and security, opportunities for students, and continued facility improvement were among the top efforts of the Jackson County School System in 2007.

Superintendent Blaine Hess said the School Access Safety Plan has occupied much of the time of school officials as the need for secure schools becomes increasingly more important. He said a group of about 20 people, including law enforcement, first responders, teachers, community leaders and others, making up the Jackson County Committee for Safe and Productive Schools met several times to help create that plan which has now been submitted to the School Building Authority.

“My assistant superintendent Mr. (Gary) Samples was instrumental in this process,” said Hess.

Upon approval of the plan, the SBA will make money available to the county to implement elements of that plan which will help limit access to school facilities both during the school day as well as after school and on weekends. Hess said the doors will be retrofitted with outer electronic locks. He said people and groups which have had access to the school for their activities and events will still be able to use the facilities but the system will track who is entering the building to allow officials to keep closer tabs on who is coming into the schools.

New procedures were implemented at the start of this school year in an effort to prevent unauthorized people from having access to the schools. Employees have been required to wear photo identification during the school day. Visitors to schools now must sign in at the office, leave a photo identification and receive a visitor’s badge which must remain visible while they are in the building or on the grounds. Upon returning the badge and signing out, the photo identification is returned.

Hess said the new safety measures were incorporated “smoothly.”

“Limiting access to the schools, especially for parents who are used to having easier access, can be upsetting,” said Hess. “But in a system of 5,000 students, (I) received less than five calls about it. I attribute that to the work of the principals and the work of the central office to get word out to the public.”

And though central office personnel also wear photo identification, Hess said he makes a point to sign in at every school he visits.

“I am trying to set the example for everyone by signing in,” he said.

Safety and security will continue to be a priority for Jackson County Schools. Disaster drills have been staged at both high schools and Hess said each school practices its lock-down procedures. That practice proved effective a couple of months ago as police searched the Kenna area for a shooting suspect. Hess said as a precaution Kenna Elementary went into lock-down.

“It went like clock-work,” he said.

In the near future, Paul Timm, a nationally renowned security expert, will be reviewing the system’s crisis response manual “to make sure we’re including all the best practices,” said Hess. He is also helping create a quick user’s guide for easy reference by teachers in the event of an emergency.

Opportunities for students was also at the forefront. The PATCH 21 after-school program started in Jackson County Schools this year. The program provides activities and learning possibilities for students. While it is open to all students, those whose parents work and may not be able to pick them up or be home right after school are taking advantage of it.

It started in Ravenswood Grade School and is expanding to other schools around the county. Hess said although it just recently started at Henry J. Kaiser Elementary School, more than 80 students are participating. Hess said providing transportation for the students is a challenge. However, David McCutcheon, who heads up the program, is looking into grant funding possibilities to provide the needed transportation.

The school system is also in the process of preparing for Universal Pre-K which will be available to any 4-year old by 2012. Hess said 50 percent of the capacity will need to be available through the school system and for the other half the school is working with area preschools. He said at Cottageville Elementary, they have been working with Headstart and are “making good progress.” The challenge, he said, is finding the room in each school for the pre-kindergarten classes.

Additional space in the schools is becoming increasingly more important. The board has approved a plan at Fairplain Elementary School which would add six more classrooms and expand the cafeteria and kitchen areas. The plan has been submitted to the SBA for funding.

A major improvement project for window replacements at several county schools was also approved by the board and was to be submitted to the SBA. However, Hess said he received notification the SBA has moved the deadline for those project from January 2008 to October 2008 as it seeks to raise the money available for such projects from $500,000 to $1 million.

Hess said he is going to recommend the board wait to submit a project to the SBA as “more pressing” projects are needed and the board may be able to tailor a project to the amount to be made available.

The school system is also looking ahead. An agreement was made this month with Westbrook which will provide a substance abuse prevention expert to the middle and high schools. Curriculum plans continue to be updated and modified. Technology is being implemented more and more. New buses will be purchased. And teachers continue to receive the best training to ensure Jackson County Schools remain among the top systems in the state, he said.

Contact Christina Bright at cbright@newsandsentinel.com