What Safety Measures Were Proposed For Schools?

After meetings with community members, school staff and PTA representatives and the Clarkstown Police Department, Clarkstown school administrators proposed $1.2 million worth of safety and security improvements for the 2013-2014 budget. Board of Education members voted last Thursday to cut that cost by half in order to reduce the tax increase residents would face.  Board members instructed the administration to prioritize the lengthy list of safety measures and present a package of security enhancements including buzzers and panic buttons at all the schools and other items with an overall price tag of $600,000.

Originally the safety measures presentation included $450,000 for on duty security guards whenever any schools were open for classes or school related or public activities. Even though user fees would have offset $300,000 of that cost, board members decided against the proposal. They said they wanted to see how the current greeter system worked with future improvements.

The basic security upgrade would cost $20,000 for each elementary school, $40,000 for Felix Festa Middle School, $32,500 for Clarkstown North High School and $25,000 for Clarkstown South High School. The upgrade would include an intercom, remote door buzzer and security camera access for the greeter and principal’s office, panic buttons and external speakers. 

Other proposed safety and security elements were: 

• More than 30 additional security cameras at Felix Festa in hallways, on the first and second levels of the different wings and in the cafeteria for $112,000
• Leveling the North baseball field for $25,000
• Leveling the Felix Festa softball field for $15,000
• Construction of emergency evacuation route from Bardonia Elementary for $30,000
• Emergency lighting at Birchwood School for $22,500
• Relocate shed currently adjacent to Congers Elementary so no-one can climb from it onto the school roof for a cost of $20,000
• Install swipe panel at the Lakewood Elementary loading dock for weekend building access for $5,000
• Replace and install window shades at Laurel Plains Elementary for use during lockdowns for $7,500
• Install a back driveway gate at Link Elementary for $3,500
• Replace blinds at Little Tor Elementary for $10,500
• Install additional card readers and cameras at North for $225,000
• Add 12 security cameras at South for $48,000
• Purchase more security cameras for Strawtown Elementary for $16,000
• Replace non working shades at West Nyack Elementary for $4,500
• Upgrade nurse’s suite at Woodglen Elementary for increased school population for $1,000

A specific list of improvements costing $600,000 is being prepared. The original recommendation for $1.2 million of safety and security measures came after district administrators received .

There is a Community Budget Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 2 at Felix Festa Middle School at 7 p.m. and a school board meeting on Thursday, April 4 at 8 p.m.