August 21, 2018 at 4:29 p.m.
Jay will ask for $500,000
School corporation wants to use additional funds for school security upgrades
Jay will ask for $500,000
Jay Schools plans to borrow another $500,000 in its ongoing effort to beef up building security.
That half a million — expected to come from the Indiana Common School Fund — will be in addition to $782,577 already dedicated for school security.
The Indiana General Assembly set aside $35 million for low-interest loans aimed at increasing school safety, and Jay School Board members Monday approved superintendent Jeremy Gulley’s recommendation to apply for $500,000 of that total. The loan will have a five-year term and 1 percent interest.
Gulley proposes spending:
•An estimated $40,000 on visitor management system software called Lobby Guard to be installed at all schools.
•An estimated $40,000 for an active shooter mass communication and response system.
•An estimated $150,000 for more closed circuit TV cameras in all schools and integration of that system with local law enforcement.
•An estimated $93,000 for door sensors, door hardening and radio frequency identification access card readers.
•An estimated $177,000 on school grounds perimeter fencing and bollards to be installed at school entrances.
The mass communication and response system to be installed at Jay County High School would also make use of $101,279 in funding approved by the Jay County Council from economic development revenues related to NextEra Energy’s Bluff Point Wind Energy Center.
The school corporation has already used a $10,000 state safety grant to have a physical security assessment conducted by Viridian Architectural Services, tapped the proceeds of the refinancing of building bonds to pay for $143,460 in ballistic film for school windows, and dedicated $25,000 in capital project funds to create a single point of entry at General Shanks Elementary School.
That half a million — expected to come from the Indiana Common School Fund — will be in addition to $782,577 already dedicated for school security.
The Indiana General Assembly set aside $35 million for low-interest loans aimed at increasing school safety, and Jay School Board members Monday approved superintendent Jeremy Gulley’s recommendation to apply for $500,000 of that total. The loan will have a five-year term and 1 percent interest.
Gulley proposes spending:
•An estimated $40,000 on visitor management system software called Lobby Guard to be installed at all schools.
•An estimated $40,000 for an active shooter mass communication and response system.
•An estimated $150,000 for more closed circuit TV cameras in all schools and integration of that system with local law enforcement.
•An estimated $93,000 for door sensors, door hardening and radio frequency identification access card readers.
•An estimated $177,000 on school grounds perimeter fencing and bollards to be installed at school entrances.
The mass communication and response system to be installed at Jay County High School would also make use of $101,279 in funding approved by the Jay County Council from economic development revenues related to NextEra Energy’s Bluff Point Wind Energy Center.
The school corporation has already used a $10,000 state safety grant to have a physical security assessment conducted by Viridian Architectural Services, tapped the proceeds of the refinancing of building bonds to pay for $143,460 in ballistic film for school windows, and dedicated $25,000 in capital project funds to create a single point of entry at General Shanks Elementary School.
In addition, construction funds related to the reconfiguration of East Elementary School have been put to use to purchase ballistic classroom doors and revamp the entrance to create a single point of entry.
Gulley said his recommendations grew out of the Viridian building assessment and best practices that have been identified for school security.
The planned communications system, he said, “let’s us understand what’s happening and respond quicker. … Absent that technology, it’s very difficult to get a handle on what’s going on.”
The system would add at least 188 more security cameras. At the high school those would be linked to a multi-layered security network involving everything from PC alerts to the fire alarm system, from mobile applications to the public address system.
The goal of all those measure, said Gulley, is to restrict access to schools, expedite the notification of law enforcement and first responders and generally improve school security.
Board members Kristi Betts, Phil Ford, Beth Krieg, Ron Laux and Krista Muhlenkamp approved the loan application 5-0, with board members Mike Shannon and Corey Gundrum absent.
But Muhlenkamp expressed concern about the plan for fencing in school grounds.
“How do you keep it from looking prison-like?” she asked.
Gulley admitted it was a challenge.
“I still see a school there,” he said. “We need to listen to people to find that balance.”
If all goes according to plan, the security upgrades would be complete by Aug. 1, 2019, in advance of the next school year.
Gulley’s recommendation came after a presentation on school security systems by ESCO Communications, Indianapolis.
ESCO had quoted a price for a system-wide mass communications and rapid response network, but Gulley said he wanted to focus on the high school first.
“I would prefer to go with the high school first and learn some things,” he said. “Keep it scoped smaller, one building and see how it works. … Let’s make sure we’re satisfied with the product.”
In other business, the board:
•Heard a “snapshot” report from preschool director Clif DeRome, who noted that last year’s preschool enrollment was 293, a 72-percent increase over 2010. The bulk of the funding for the pre-school comes from federal Title I dollars and state funding for special education students.
•Held a public hearing on the 2019 school budget, receiving no comments.
•Approved bus driver contracts specifying pay levels of $76.75 per day for most drivers.
•Hired Lydia Elsea as a social studies teacher at East Jay Middle School, Cynthia Fifer as an instructional assistant at Bloomfield Elementary School, Melissa Mumbower as an instructional assistant at Westlawn Elementary School, Jennifer Wolfe as a part-time instructional assistant at Westlawn and Michael Thurston as a bus driver.
•Approved leaves of absence for instructional assistant Kendra Harris, fifth grade teacher Kayla Nietfeld and bus driver Yvonne Thomas.
•Accepted the resignation of bus driver Sheila Tremaine.
•Approved extracurricular assignments for Ryan Steinbrunner as boys golf coach, Joe Imel as boys track coach, Paul Hyatt as cross country coach and assistant boys track coach and Jill Ranly as gymnastics coach, all at JCHS.
•Accepted the resignation of Joe Imel as track coach at East Jay.
•Approved a field trip by JCHS drama students to the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario.
Gulley said his recommendations grew out of the Viridian building assessment and best practices that have been identified for school security.
The planned communications system, he said, “let’s us understand what’s happening and respond quicker. … Absent that technology, it’s very difficult to get a handle on what’s going on.”
The system would add at least 188 more security cameras. At the high school those would be linked to a multi-layered security network involving everything from PC alerts to the fire alarm system, from mobile applications to the public address system.
The goal of all those measure, said Gulley, is to restrict access to schools, expedite the notification of law enforcement and first responders and generally improve school security.
Board members Kristi Betts, Phil Ford, Beth Krieg, Ron Laux and Krista Muhlenkamp approved the loan application 5-0, with board members Mike Shannon and Corey Gundrum absent.
But Muhlenkamp expressed concern about the plan for fencing in school grounds.
“How do you keep it from looking prison-like?” she asked.
Gulley admitted it was a challenge.
“I still see a school there,” he said. “We need to listen to people to find that balance.”
If all goes according to plan, the security upgrades would be complete by Aug. 1, 2019, in advance of the next school year.
Gulley’s recommendation came after a presentation on school security systems by ESCO Communications, Indianapolis.
ESCO had quoted a price for a system-wide mass communications and rapid response network, but Gulley said he wanted to focus on the high school first.
“I would prefer to go with the high school first and learn some things,” he said. “Keep it scoped smaller, one building and see how it works. … Let’s make sure we’re satisfied with the product.”
In other business, the board:
•Heard a “snapshot” report from preschool director Clif DeRome, who noted that last year’s preschool enrollment was 293, a 72-percent increase over 2010. The bulk of the funding for the pre-school comes from federal Title I dollars and state funding for special education students.
•Held a public hearing on the 2019 school budget, receiving no comments.
•Approved bus driver contracts specifying pay levels of $76.75 per day for most drivers.
•Hired Lydia Elsea as a social studies teacher at East Jay Middle School, Cynthia Fifer as an instructional assistant at Bloomfield Elementary School, Melissa Mumbower as an instructional assistant at Westlawn Elementary School, Jennifer Wolfe as a part-time instructional assistant at Westlawn and Michael Thurston as a bus driver.
•Approved leaves of absence for instructional assistant Kendra Harris, fifth grade teacher Kayla Nietfeld and bus driver Yvonne Thomas.
•Accepted the resignation of bus driver Sheila Tremaine.
•Approved extracurricular assignments for Ryan Steinbrunner as boys golf coach, Joe Imel as boys track coach, Paul Hyatt as cross country coach and assistant boys track coach and Jill Ranly as gymnastics coach, all at JCHS.
•Accepted the resignation of Joe Imel as track coach at East Jay.
•Approved a field trip by JCHS drama students to the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario.
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