The School Safety and Security Grant ($200,000) and SPAT Grant (Silent Panic Alarm Technology, $4,800) were on the agenda for the Dimmitt ISD school board meeting this past Monday.
DISD Superintendent Jill Millican detailed the grants and guidelines.
The SPAT Grant, with funds provided by the US Department of Educations Appropriations Act, allows schools to purchase silent panic alert technologies for campuses as a measure of school safety. Communications infrastructure would include a panic alert button, duress or equivalent alarm, via standalone hardware or integrated into other telecommunications devises that could functionally provide an alert capable of being triggered manually by campus staff, triggered automatically in the event a district employee calls 911 from any location within the school system with any alert being generated, the location of origin, confirmation of response and notice issued to law enforcement and school staff, and for any exterior doors featuring electronic locks, triggering them to automatically lock and notify staff of any door where lock is not engaged.
There is no cost share or matching requirement for the SPAT Grant program.
The School Safety and Security Grant is to provide funding to public schools for safety expenses that include exterior doors with push bars, metal detectors at school entrances, erected vehicle barriers, security systems that monitor and record school entrances, exits and hallways, campus-wide active shooter alarm systems, twoway radio systems, perimeter security fencing, bullet-resistant glass or film or school entrances, and door-locking systems. The grant does not allow for expenditures for administrative purposes, direct or indirect.
Stacy Boozer reviewed the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) and the State and Federal Report Card reports. The TAPR pulls together a wide range of information on the performance of students in each school and district in Texas every year. Performance is shown disaggregated by student groups, including ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and provides extensive information on school and district staff, programs, and student demographics.
The board approved endorsing the State of Texas STARR testing security measures,. The Texas Education Agency, each year, sets guidelines on how STARR testing is to be handled. All teachers must be trained in the security measures and the local school trustees must support or endorse the security measures.
In other business, trustees approved retaining Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Kyle & Robinson P.C. to provide legal services to the DISD Special Services Department.
Additionally, the board approved Local Board Policy update 120 related to safety program/risk management emergency plans, employment practices, student rights and responsibilities for complaints and grievances and student discipline, as well a approving the Professional Development Minutes Waiver for the 20232024 school year.
Following a discussion from Mike Huseman, the board approved Brown Graham & Co. performing an efficiency audit for the district to analyze fiscal management, efficiency and utilization of resources.
In other action, trustees approved the 2023-2024 Dimmitt ISD Calendar and E-Rate bids for 2023-2024.
At the Jan. 9 school board meeting, each board member was presented with a certificate of recognition for Board Appreciation Month. The DHS Student Council officers presented the trustees with treats and a video honoring the board.
The board also approved calling a regular DISD Board of Trustee election for places 3, 6 and 7 to be held on May 6. Currently, Chevo Lumbrera holds Place 3, Jo Settle, Place 2 and Clay Lytle, Place 7.
DISD week 24 indicates a total of 1,104 students enrolled at all campuses, with 71 at First Steps, 457 at RES, 273 at Dimmitt Middle School, and 303 at Dimmitt High School.
The regular school board meeting set for March 13 has been moved to March 20 due to Spring Break.