Board of Education updated on current school safety measures, future plans

Jun. 10—HAMLET — School safety, which has unfortunately resurfaced in the public conscious following the tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas, was discussed in-depth at the June meeting of the Richmond County Board of Education.

Associate superintendent of human resources Dr. Julian Carter detailed safety measures have been reached for the 2021-22 school year and how that will be sustained into the future.

Carter credited the support and assistance of Sheriff Mark Gulledge and Police Chief George Gillenwater (Rockingham) and Dennis Brown (Hamlet) for their assistance with providing a school resource officer when needed.

"After the horrific events in Texas recently, our law enforcement agencies have stepped up even more coming to our schools," Carter said.

Officers have been parking their cars in front of schools for a "visible presence," in addition to their usual duties inside the schools.

Carter also gave kudos to the District Attorney's office and the Juvenile Justice department for their talks regarding proper social media usage, cyberbullying, drug use and threats.

Those discussions, led by ADA Alex Harris and Tracey Grimes, were presented at all middle and high schools in Richmond County.

RCS received two grants, totaling $116,00, from the Center for Safer Schools initiative from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Two SRO's were hired to augment the school police using that grant money. There are now seven, with one hire arriving soon, SRO's in RCS.

The remaining $50,000 was divided in purchasing metal detectors and radios.

RCS allocated $30,000 for 120 radios to improve communication at all schools.

Seven metal detectors were purchased with the remaining $20,000. There are now eight metal detectors at Richmond Senior High, three at Hamlet Middle and two at Rockingham Middle, Cordova Middle, Ellerbe Middle and the Ninth Grade Academy.

All buses in RCS, Carter continued, have been equipped with additional cameras. Every administrator at each school is trained to retrieve the data from those cameras.

Additional cameras have been installed at Ashley Chapel Education Center, and damaged and ineffective cameras at RSHS have been replaced. All cameras have been installed within the last seven years, Carter said.

All school intercoms are replaced within six years. Three schools received intercom upgrades this year.

The current messaging systems that RCS students use already flags emails that exhibit alarming or concerning language. There were five flagged message for the entirety of the 2019-20 school year. From August 2020 to Jan. 2021, there were 119, an increase of 2,360%.

Next year, Linewise software program will be implemented on all student devices, similar to the email flagging system already in place. It will monitor inappropriate or concerning activity and will notify the proper personnel. Any flagged material will be captured via screenshot by the program and stored.

This year, Washington Street Elementary, RSHS and NGA have been rekeyed. All schools are rekeyed on a 10-year cycle.

Board member Ronald Tillman shared that he's been told that too many people have access to the gate at RSHS.

"Yes, it needs to be changed," Carter agreed, adding that he was informed that it has already been fixed, but that it will be re-addressed if needed.

Carter concluded the litany of measures taken by the school system by addressing lighting. There's been improved lighting to increase visibility at RSHS, following concerns during football and basketball games, and several portable lighting systems have been installed.

"So, what are we going to do next?" Carter asked rhetorically. "There's always ways to improve."

Carter said the school system will continue to apply for school safety grants, hold annual school safety quarterly meetings, and train their employees. Professional development can be challenging, said Carter, due to staff changes at each school, and just because staff is prepared for an emergency one year doesn't mean it will carry over to the next year.

"We want to make sure that our teachers, if something goes on, they know exactly what they're supposed to do and there's no hesitation," Carter said.

There's a tentative plan for a joint exercise between the school system and law enforcement this summer.

"All schools are in the process of doing a school risk management plan," Carter affirmed. That plan is mandated by the state legislature.

Tillman, who is an area consultant for the NC Department of Juvenile Justice, said he was encouraged to what is hear what is next in terms of school safety.

"I don't want to have a situation, with what just happened, happen here," he said. "The lack of communication as far as who is in charge, who will make the call."

Each year, RCS school police must receive accreditation. Carter shared that their police were just re-accredited and it becomes effective July 1, 2022.

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