Van Buren Families,
Because of the hard work of individual staff members completing applications, we have received multiple grants and used that money to improve various aspects of our district.
At Van Buren Local Schools, we know students need to feel safe and secure to reach their highest levels of achievement, and parents and guardians also want to know their children are safe every day. Because of our desire to improve the safety of our school, School Resource Officer Matt Crouch applied for and received multiple K-12 School Safety Grants totaling in excess of $200,000. With the guidance of the Safety Committee/Threat Assessment Team, consisting of Deputy Crouch; principals Mike Newcomer, Jennifer Barrett, and Kevin Shoup; counselor Allison Limes; Maintenance and Facilities Supervisor Casey Morman; and me, that money has been used for a wide variety of upgrades, including the following improvements.
Outside the buildings, new crosswalk signage and signs identifying the start of the school zone were installed to improve the visibility of students crossing Main Street and slow down vehicles as they enter the school zone. At the crosswalk, students can activate blinking lights so drivers can more easily see them. Separately, the school zone signs on Main Street at the north and south ends of the district property activate for 30 minutes during pick-up and drop-off times to alert drivers of the reduced 20 mph speed limit in the school zone.
Both outside and inside the buildings, grant money was used to update cameras which had become obsolete and install new cameras in previously uncovered areas. Inside the buildings, safety grant funds were used to purchase new PA systems in the elementary, middle, and high school. These new systems now allow the main offices to communicate more effectively with all classrooms, eliminating the issue of some classrooms not being able to hear announcements.
In addition to those upgrades, Halo Smart Sensors were purchased and installed in all of the high school and middle school bathrooms to further ensure the safety of our students. Not only do the sensors detect vaping, but they can also detect abnormalities like loud noises and disturbances to alert school staff of problems.
Finally, a new kiosk system has been implemented at the entrance of the high school/middle school that identifies individuals who are not safe to be around children to prevent a visitor pass from being issued and access to the building from being granted. This same technology had previously been installed in our elementary building.
We are constantly working to add layers of protection for students and staff, and we appreciate you entrusting your students to us. Their safety and well-being are of the utmost importance to our staff and administration here at Van Buren Local Schools.
Sincerely,
Jason Inkrott, Superintendent