To the delight of its committee members and more importantly, for the enhanced safety of students and school personnel, many of the recommendations of the School Safety Task Force which were submitted in August are already in use in the schools and others will very shortly be operational. Director of Facilities and Operations Eric Vonderhorst, who chairs the security subcommittee, met with Task Force members on November 3rd to share the news of the rapid adoption of many of the proposals intended to strengthen school safety.

The recommendation to hire additional staff dedicated to monitoring visitors and entrances was met with swift approval. Three individuals have already been hired and have begun monitoring; final decisions are being made for the remaining two positions. When hiring is completed, there will be one such staffer in each of the four elementary schools and one in Weber Middle School. Dr. Dick Barry, principal of Sousa Elementary School, said the new position and procedure are working wonderfully.

Other accomplishments have been made. Rigorous police audits are well under way in the school buildings and an in-depth fire safety plan has begun as well. Mr. Vonderhorst, who has been tireless in addressing problem areas and actively implementing solutions, explained that within three to four months, alarm systems in the school buildings will be installed and working.

Traffic congestion can seriously impede school safety, creating a formidable problem for fire, medical, or police officials trying to respond to emergencies at the buildings. Recognizing this, several Task Force recommendations addressed bus parking and vehicular access to school facilities. Here too, progress is being made. Buses are no longer parking in front of school buildings long before pick-up times. Traffic is being rerouted and cars are being stopped at the stop sign on Campus Drive, as they approach Schreiber High School.

Another accomplishment, Mr. Vonderhorst reported, was a new intercom system in Manorhaven School, and the wiring of the Daly portables into the school's intercom system. Improvements in communication throughout Schreiber High School are being investigated and considered carefully to contain costs. Additional two-way radios were purchased for each school, which will have its own channel for communication. At the urging of parents, Mr. Vonderhorst's staff must now wear uniforms and carry identification. The perimeter of school buildings and frequently used walkways were not overlooked either. The police are looking into installing an emergency phone or call box, linked to Police headquarters, in proximity to the Monfort parking lot. An unlit area near St. John's Place is also being examined for illumination without being troublesome to homeowners.

The Task Force's next meeting will cover additional accomplishments and will address safety concerns unique to Weber Middle School.