Colorado District to Use Grants to Install Locks, Mass Notification System

Colorado District to Use Grants to Install Locks, Mass Notification System

Jefferson County Public Schools will use grants from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s School Security Disbursement grant program to replace elementary classroom locks and install a mass notification system.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • March 05, 2019

Jefferson County Public Schools will use grants from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s School Security Disbursement grant program to replace elementary classroom locks and install a mass notification system.

“The state of Colorado really stepped up with money for school districts and school safety this year,” said John McDonald, director of safety and security for Jeffco schools. “We’ve been incredibly fortunate this year to have school safety grants that I think are really going to make a difference.”

Jeffco Public Schools will use its two grants for two different projects.

The first grant, totaling $432,700, will be used for the district’s project of replacing door locks with locks that allow the doors to be locked from the inside of the classroom. McDonald said the new locking system could save up to 30 crucial seconds in an emergency.

According to McDonald, 4,800 classrooms throughout the district need their locks changed. The grant will fund half of the elementary school lock changes.

The second grant, totaling $279,687.23, will go toward a mass communication system. The system will allow for important announcements to appear in written form on computers and televisions inside campus buildings as well as on electronic signage on the outside of the school. The system will also send notifications to all district staff, local law enforcement and first responders.

“To have a system like that is to be able to have some stress reduced,” McDonald said. “That communications piece, notifications piece — time matters, seconds count. The longer the delay the more cause for harm.”

According to McDonald, the team has already begin working to implement these changes.

“We haven’t received the money yet,” McDonald said, “but we are running because we want to get them implemented as fast as possible.”

The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said funds will be disbursed before the end of April.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

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