Summary of the Collierville School Board Meeting. Full board present.
Special Recognition: Collierville Elementary – Black History Month presentation.
Public Comment:
- Jim Pruitt – “simple way to survive school shooting: allow classroom windows to open”
- Selena Silvestro – “can we form a committee to take a deeper dive into school security?”
Approval of agenda – moving superintendent update to front of the agenda.
Superintendent’s Report:
- CHS ACT Prep tutoring sessions for juniors (no cost)
- Successful events at CHS: District Learning Day, EPSO presentations and 8th Grade Extravaganza
- March 8 Working Session will be in the afternoon to keep the evening open for the Collierville Education Foundation
- Introduction of Dr Nancy Kelley. She’s the point person on security for the district.
- Lots of training on documented procedures is key; all Collierville Schools fully compliant with all required drills and training.
- 20+ security cameras in each school
- Recent school shootings prompted a full review at each school of all plans and protocols, review of additional opportunities.
- Looking at another active shooter drill at one of the facilities
- Close cooperation with local first responders and the town.
- New CHS already has new features for security design. 250+ cameras. Any door can be locked from the inside anywhere in the building by any staff member’s key.
- $3M is dedicated to security features in one form or another.
- Modification to schools planned that don’t have a security vestibule at this time.
- Addressing the social and emotional needs and impacts on students.
- Key for parents to be vigilant – know your students’ friends – monitor electronics use, including content. If you see something, say something.
- Students need to be involved: report the unusual and the disturbing.
Dr Kelley:
- Happened to be in school security training sessions with statewide resources this week.
- Have a plan, practice it, practice it often.
- Communication is key – across all levels, and stakeholders
- Most important: safety and security of all students in the school building
- There is a district emergency operations team, including central office and community first responders
- Safety goes beyond armed attackers: tornadoes, floods, etc.
- Each school has a school emergency operations team, led by a school administrator
- All schools have their own plan, which mirrors and implements the district plan; based on FEMA model
- State mandates required number and type of drills, including frequencies; some schools go beyond requirements; all drills are logged.
- Types of security drills: shelter-in-place (responds to threat in neighborhood, prevents panic, business as usual but inside only); lockdown (immediate threat, quiet)
- Annual training on emergency operations; emergency drills; mental health awareness; suicide awareness; etc.
- Mental health support for students
- Planning the annual building level hazard/risk assessment
- New Emergency Operations Plan for the new high school
- Planning a mock drill with town first responders and FBI
- Adding more training opportunities for school staff
- Not just ‘see something – say something’ but also: DO Something.
Mr Vaughan: need to review cell phone coverage inside schools, as crises flood the system and make communications near impossible. Mr Jones and Dr Kelley: school system will be looking to implement FirstNet to allow better cell/data service for key personnel and first responders.
Approval of previous meeting minutes, January Financial Statements.
Chairman’s Report:
- Day on the Hill report – OPEB trust meeting; OPEB liability for Collierville Schools ~$7M; trust is looking for additional members; board will need to consider options to limit long-running liability where retirees (hired after certain point in future) would not keep coverage between retiring and turning 65.
- Heavy heart over Florida school shooting; brings security and safety very much to the forefront.
Business Items – see February 8 work session notes - presumed to be approved as discussed (author had to leave).