School safety the focus of Willow school board meeting

The Willow Springs school board received an update on campus safety at its monthly meeting Oct. 9.
School resource officer Jeff Cunningham gave the board some good news, announcing the district will be receiving $150,000 grant for security. He said the funds will pay for additional cameras, power panic doors, additional locks, and a secure entrance for the middle school.
While the school got turned down in the first round of the grant, he said he’s pleased the district was funded in the second round.
Cunningham also said he had made a video about school security that was sent to staff before school started and soon will be provided to individuals serving as substitute teachers.
“Overall, I’ve had a lot of positive feedback,” he said.
The district also has implemented a smart phone app from Raptor Technologies which allows all staff to send an alert to the entire school campus easily. The technology is being provided by the state of Missouri at no cost, he said.
“It’s a great program that Missouri is providing,” he added. “I think we’d be foolish not to take advantage of this.”
The district will host an Arrive Alive program presented by the Southeast Coalition for Roadway Safety on Oct. 24 and 25 as part of Buckle Up Week. The program targets high school students of driving age to teach about the dangers of distracted driving. 
“The coalition was really good in setting this up,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to reach kids.”
Cunningham added the “district is in a good place safety-wise…All of the staff are so safety-oriented. Everybody does a great job.”
In other business, superintendent Dr. Marty Spence gave an update on projects ongoing that will use ESSER funding through COVID relief programs. 
The district has spent $291,919 on the new Bear training facility that is nearly complete, he said. “I’m anxious for you to see the facility,” he added. The amount spent thus far includes the structure along with weights and other equipment, even though earlier estimates were much higher. 
The district has a remaining $773,373 of ESSER funds to spend, which will go toward renovations at the former Missouri Department of Transportation buildings to be used for career and technical education, along with technology upgrades and improvements to elementary and playground facilities.
Other items for future ESSER funding discussions will include improvements at the track, high school bathrooms, and high school parking.
The board also approved Lorene Fogarty, Violet Hohn, Kimberly Collins, Katlynn Hunter, Griffin Taylor, Brooke Berry, and Sherry Tice as substitute teachers. 
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