In the past year, the district has installed security cameras, additional fire and burglar alarms, electrical upgrades and additional lighting across all of its campuses.
Safety film was also installed last summer on select windows and doors at each school. The film increases the time and effort needed by an intruder to break into a building through the window, giving law enforcement and security officers more time to respond.
These updates reflect the district’s evolving focus on security and the advantage technology lends to those whose responsibility it is to keep students safe throughout each school day.
Structural updates being done this summer will also make schools more secure.
At Lawndale Elementary, a breezeway between the main building and the cafeteria and gym is being enclosed to provide a more secure passage between the two buildings.
At Rankin Elementary, all old windows have been replaced with laminate security glass windows, which serve a similar purpose as the security film installed on some school entrances. A security entrance has also been installed at Rankin, forcing visitors to be buzzed in through two sets of doors before entering the school building.
Those doors will lead them directly into the school’s administrative office, prohibiting them from walking into the school without checking in first.
Other schools in the district have similar entrances.
Terry Hatch, director of security for TPSD, said this feature is especially helpful for secretaries who generally deal with visitors first.
One of the biggest security upgrades funded by the bond issue is the Command Center, in which security personnel can monitor activity in and around all schools in the district.
The center can connect to all 464 security cameras located within the district and connects all security personnel to each other through a radio and repeater system.
Although the district is one of the largest in the state, Hatch said good communication between security officers allows them to manage such a large number of students and campuses.
“As long as we communicate from top to bottom and bottom to top, it doesn’t matter how big the school is,” Hatch said. “It’s all about open communication.”
The TPSD security department employs School Resource Officers, who are fully-trained and armed police officers, and School Security Officers. The district added two new SROs this summer.
SROs are provided to the school district by the Tupelo Police Department.
Having access to more security officers through their partnership with TPD, Hatch said, has allowed the district to increase security presence at its elementary schools and rest easy knowing in the event of an emergency situation on any campus an officer will not be far away.
“We appreciate the commitment of the TPD to help us maintain a safe and secure learning environment for students, faculty and staff,” said TPSD superintendent Gearl Loden.
Andy Cantrell, TPSD director of operations, said TPSD has been fortunate to be able to fund security updates through the $44 million bond issue and add staff members in light of funding cuts for school districts statewide.
“When you have a certain amount in state funding, and it’s cut every year for several years, a juggling act is performed to see how many teachers will be retained, as well as staffing that includes security personnel,” Cantrell said. “It’s a great deal of concern that some districts must rely on a law enforcement officer that could be 10-15 minutes away from a school campus.”
Although security updates are winding down, Hatch said he and his team are always looking for new ways to keep students safe.
“We look for improvement on a daily basis,” Hatch said. “We don’t want to get stationary and in a routine, because you never know what’s going to happen.”
The district holds twice-per-semester crisis team meetings, and the security department staff meets monthly.
Hatch said the meetings are a time for his staff to discuss specific issues and national trends in school security threats.
“When things change we have to adapt,” Hatch said. “It’s just like anything else, everything changes and so long as we can stay ahead of the curve we will hopefully be OK.”
emma.crawford@journalinc.comTwitter: @emcrawfordkent
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