Making the Grade: School Security Improvements

The Weymouth School District recently received a $20,000 grant to upgrade security

It's 3:15 p.m. on a soggy, wet day at Weymouth High School in Massachusetts, and as these students exit to their buses, they are oblivious to the safety and security measures put into place for their protection.

Superintendent Kenneth Salim has made safety and security a top priority in his district for several years.

"One of the things that we are most proud about with our safety and security efforts is our partnership with our public safety partners in the community," he said.

Creating his own "task force," Salim put together a committee of school representatives and district staff, with members from the Weymouth fire and police departments.

"One of our most important duties is to make sure our school environment is as prepared as possible to deal with any type of emergency," Salim said.

And part of being prepared is making sure the infrastructure is up-to-date, which is why Superintendent Salim submitted a proposal last summer to the Safety and Security Grant Program started by former Governor Deval Patrick's administration.

"There was approximately 100 districts that applied for this competitive grant and I know that we are fortunate to be one of them," he said.

Salim said the district is looking to upgrade the surveillance video camera system along with locks in the doors of the district's buildings. Other upgrades that will come from the district's $20,000 include adding keyless entry systems to all schools and continuing to produce color coordinating ID badges for staff, students and visitors.

"A big part of safety and security is thinking about preventative measures and also looking out for the needs of our students and that is a huge part of what we do in Weymouth is make sure that we are attending to the social, emotional and behavioral needs of our studentsm," Salim said.  

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