School spends first chunk of safety grant
Albanyschooltrusteesmetin aspecialsessionatnoononMonday, March 4, spending almost $720,000, some from previous safety monies, but most from the more recent “Cycle I” grant funding, for safety projects.
They took care of a little other business as well, hiring a third gradeteacherandacceptingtwo resignations.
Superintendent Jonathan Scott recommended that a oneyear probationary contract be extended to Stephanie Kitchens for a third grade position.
The motion, made by Joe Tidwell with Bo Brown seconding, passed unanimously.
Contracts for three district level employees – band director WilliamVaughan,districtnurse HeatherNitschke,andlibrarian JennyScott–wereextendedona unanimousmotionmadebyKim Fuentes, seconded by Tidwell.
Theresignationsofsecondary scienceinstructorZachHarmon and library aide Megan Henry were accepted with regrets.
Safety Decisions
Scottexplainedthathecalled the meeting in order to get in queue for one of the recommended vendors whose time for the next few months is already filling up. He hopes that the projects in this next phase of the grant expenditures can be completed by the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year.
Albany ISD was awarded a large $3.9 million grant to improve school safety, but it must be spent on specific projects, Scott said. Some of the $720,000 approved on Monday will come from an older safety grant, complying with the requirement to spendthefullamoutofonegrant before using the next.
Among the vendors were Fivestones Safety for a silent panic alert that gives each employee a badge that can notify 911 of an emergency. The system also provides for audio and visual notifications of an alert throughout the campus. Cost of the project is $124,500 with $5,000 yearly licenses.
The second bid approved was from Tex-Oma Builders Supply Co. for extensive repair and replacement of numerous entrancesanddoorwaysonboth campuses, at a cost of $209,000.
Tex-Oma is also being considered to create and install vestibulesatthemainentrances on both the elementary and secondary campus to provide a secondarylevelofcontrolaccess. Scott said that project would probably come later in the year.
GlobalDataTechnologies’bid of$145,056wasokayedtoinstall callbuttonsandspeakersineach classroom which will connect to 911. Additional speakers will be installed around the campuses for emergency notification in conjunctionwiththesilentpanic alert requirement, Scott said.
Additional internal call buttons will communicate with the new speakers.
The fourth and final vendor bidwaswithLynkAutomationto install access control equipment that will communicate with the silent panic alert system to ensure all access controls are automatically locked in the event that the silent panic alert system is activated.
The company will also position surveillance cameras to monitor the exterior entrances and areas around both campuses. The price tag of $240,497 includesa10-yearlicenseagreement.
Board president Robert Montgomery extended a special thank you to fellow board member Bo Brown, who is also a Texas Ranger, for his input in developing the ongoing school safety plan to comply with state requirements.
“You are very knowledgeable in this particular area, and you are a most valuable part of this team at this juncture,” Montgomery said. “You are helping us stay ahead of the game, and we appreciate it.”
Two other items on the agenda needed to be approved in conjunction with the school safety projects – membership in the791PurchasingCooperative and an update to theAISD business manual.
