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USD 457 to lock down school security
Published 10/26/2010 in Local News
By JEROME P. CURRY
The USD 457 Board of Education agreed Monday Night to contract with C&C Group of Wichita to enhance school security at all school buildings K through six with door access equipment that includes surveillance cameras, entry buzzers and card access in lieu of keys.
The board unanimously approved the contract, on a low bid of $54,023.50, as part of its consent agenda.
This phase of the project covers all buildings that serve kindergarten through sixth-grade pupils. Eventually, all district buildings, including the new high school scheduled to open in the fall of 2012, will have comparable security systems.
"Eventually, every school in the district will have them," Deputy Superintendent Steve Karlin has said of the door access controls already in place at Buffalo Jones, Gertrude Walker, Plymell and Jennie Barker elementary schools. Jennie Wilson Elementary School has a slightly different door access system.
The bid recommendation and supporting documents presented to the board said: "Door access controls ... will enable a higher degree of security for students and staff in buildings district-wide."
Karlin said the safety of students and staff is the primary reason for the work.
"We will have better control over who comes and goes in the schools," he said.
Entry cards save money while providing better control, district officials said.
Cards eliminate the expensive need to rekey all school building entrances if a key is lost, Karlin said.
In other business, the board heard from Janie Perkins of the district's Learning Services Center on the status of Title III federal dollars used for programs to help non-English speaking students. She said the program's goal is to help such students "attain English proficiency in as timely a manner as possible." The district has about 400 English language learners, she said.
"They have to be fluent for two consecutive years," Perkins said before being phased out of the program.
The board also took the following action:
* Presented an American flag and Kansas state flag pin to pupil Jyothi Kalarikkal of Edith Scheuerman Elementary School. She was present to hear her principal, Sandy Almos, report on the school.
* Approved a contract between the district and Craig Resources Inc. of Wichita to provide medical services at $34 an hour for a registered nurse and $31 an hour for a licensed practical nurse. The agreement runs through June 30, 2011. The contract provides that Craig Resources, doing business as Craig HomeCare, will "ensure that each (district) employee meets the minimum health requirements established ... for such personnel ... by the applicable federal and state laws."
* Approved a teaching intern contract between the district and Newman University School of Education in Wichita. The contract period is Jan. 18 through May 13, 2011.
* Awarded a copy paper contract to RIS Paper Co. of Uniontown, Ohio, on a low bid of $95,602.80.
* Awarded a playground equipment contract to Fry and Associates of North Kansas City, Mo., on a low bid of $14,331. The equipment is for Victor Ornelas Elementary School.
* Confirmed the appointment of Julia Ann Hamlett of Garden City as a part time speech/language pathologist at Russell Child Development Center. Hamlett is a retired USD 457 employee. Her contract will be adjusted to comply with Kansas Public Employees Retirement guidelines. The board also confirmed the appointments of Kaylyn Beard as a special education paraprofessional at Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center, Mariela Chairez-Fraire as a special education paraprofessional at Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Center, Juan Torres as a special education paraprofessional at Kenneth Henderson Middle School, and Melanie Fields as an administrative assistant at Garden City High School.
* Accepted the resignations of Araceli Moto Ramirez as an office assistant translator at the Education Support Center and Tiffany Guebara as a special education para at Charles O. Stones.
* Approved the terminations of Annette Bernal as an administrative assistant at the Educational Support Center and Yadira Mendolia as a nutrition assistant at GCHS.
* Heard a report that Army Sgt. Geraldine Tarver-Bean had decided not to become a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor at GCHS. She had been scheduled to start work Nov. 29. District officials have said they want to begin the new JROTC program at the high school and the middle schools by spring.
* Were told Maria Murrison had resigned as co-department head for mathematics at GCHS. Her contract will be amended to reflect the fact that she is no longer a department head.
* The board held a 30-minute closed session on personnel issues, and took no action upon returning to open session.
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