Rockwood OKs $258,000 Transfer of Funds For School Safety

Rockwood School District parent Nancy Robinson asked Board of Education directors at Thursday's board meeting to consider securing a police officer for every Rockwood school building. She said 20 Rockwood schools still need an officer, which consists of 19 elementaries and an early childhood center.

She also said she spoke to some attendees after last week's Safe Schools Partnership meeting to "get their take," because it wasn't open to the public. 

"Many feel the best way to have safety is to have an officer in each building. We welcome that, if it’s truly the best way to keep students safe," said Robinson.

Later on the same agenda, Rockwood Assistant Superintendent Dennis Griffith presented a handful of immediate needs to enhance safety within district. "Rockwood is on the cutting edge of safety, compared to many other districts, however, we also always look for additional things to do," he said.

The tally for the five steps is $258,000 during this current school year. The recommendations were:

Police chiefs said it would be tough to fill quickly that many school resource officer positions, said Griffith. "We opted to increase police presence in the mean time."

Griffith also emphasized the need to reinforce and refine existing safety protocols, which costs nothing but time and diligence.

Rockwood's directors voted unanimously to transfer the $258,000 needed from existing fund balances to support these initiatives.

Administrators also asked for authorize to hire 19 hall monitors for the 2013-14 school year for the secondary schools, stating it would place three at each high school and one at each middle school and two at Crestview Middle School because of its size. "The 19 total would be inclusive of any hall monitors currently employed and the 10 new ones noted in the first new safety initiative," Griffith said.

He said additional hall monitors are important for placing in the line of sight of doors, especially being dedicated to certain doors during pickup and drop-off times.

He said other safety items will be suggested after more discussion and planning among the administrative council, Rockwood cabinet, school resource officers and area police agencies.

Rockwood Superintendent Bruce Borchers said the new additions will enhance security, however the focus will remain on long-term safety solutions. "All schools have crisis plans that are continually under review, and we're committed to doing whatever we can to strengthen our school safety efforts."