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Based on your feedback, this is the plan
4/5/2018 -- Last fall, we invited you to participate in an online conversation about long-term planning for maintenance, renovation and repair projects needed in our schools. After listening to your feedback, we developed a list of proposed projects for a no-tax-increase bond proposal in November.
Recently, you were invited again to give feedback on the project list we were considering. The goal of this community conversation was to provide you information on the current list of projects before the board of education takes action, and ensure it reflects the priorities of our residents and community.
View the results of this conversation here: http://parkwayschools.thoughtexchange.com/card-welcome/welcome-2/
We heard that we were on the right track, but also heard a few things we can still work on.
Safety and security: You said we should continue to prioritize safety and security in our schools and include more security improvements in our plans. There was conversation around how we can better manage visitors in our schools, provide more secure entrances and a need to close open-style classrooms with no walls in some elementary schools.
Based on this feedback, and other recent community conversations, we have made significant changes to our plans. We have revised our safety and security plans to include:
- The previous proposal included new double door security vestibule entrances for all high schools. In response to your feedback, we have added vestibules at the entrances of all middle schools and are currently working on cost estimates to evaluate feasibility for entrances at the elementary schools as well.
- We plan to close the open-concept classrooms at Bellerive, Hanna and Wren Hollow by extending the walls all the way to the ceiling. This would enhance lockdown security and also improve the classroom instruction by dividing classroom spaces (currently multiple classrooms are in the same pod or area).
- We plan to implement an enhanced visitor management system at our school entrances. This will allow us to ask for identification and then issue visitor badges after we run a basic background check and check the visitor against the sex offender registry. As part of this project, we would also create more consistent and streamlined visitor management procedures for all schools that balances convenience for visitors with safety.
- We have added more safety film (intruder-resistant) to the project list for additional doors and windows near entrances in all of our schools. We currently have safety film on the main entry doors at all schools; this would add additional protection.
Maintenance and repairs and connection to student learning: We heard our aging school buildings should be kept up-to-date and basic maintenance and repairs are important to support the student learning environment. There was continued conversation around overcrowding in some schools, and a need for more classroom spaces in some areas of the district, which we have included in our planning. We heard, again, that our bathrooms need updating, which is included in our current plans.
We invite you to continue to join us in this conversation as we present the revised plan, based on this feedback, at the Project Parkway community meeting, Monday, April 16 at 6:30 pm at South High.
The final project list and proposal, based on your feedback, will be presented at this meeting and posted online for your feedback before the board takes action.
Thank you for your ongoing feedback and support!