Wisconsin Schools Improve Security with Federal Funding
La Crosse School District is improving safety and security on campus thanks to a grant.
- By Sydny Shepard
- October 22, 2018
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has awarded the La Crosse School District more than $600,000 in school safety grants to upgrade school security and training for staff members.
Scott Johnson, safety manager of the La Crosse School District, said there are already several projects in the works including adding window film on the front doors of the building, updating its intercom systems and security cameras as well as looking into a visitor management system.
Johnson said he would like a visitor management system so that visitors would have their drivers license scanned and would be given an official badge to be able to walk through the building.
Staff members are also being trained with a program called ALICE, which stands for, "alert others to danger, lock down, inform, counter, evacuate when safe to do so." This program gives the whole school a plan of action when there is danger. The whole point is to make sure every student can learn without worrying about safety.
Officials have also changed the way they do fire drills. If a fire drill is announced, students will not be asked to leave the building until a fire drill or an actual fire is confirmed to prevent an outside threat.
About the Author
Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.