STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
Caverna elementary and middle schools are set to receive significant security upgrades following the board of education’s approval of a $200,000 renovation plan aimed at improving how visitors are screened and how access to the buildings is controlled.
The renovations will include the addition of reception windows and controlled entry points, similar to the security measures already in place at Caverna High School. Under the new design, visitors will be required to check in at a staffed reception area before being allowed into the main school buildings.
Security Coordinator Beth Hawke explained the importance of controlled access for student and employee safety.
Board member Allison Dennison said the upgrades will alter portions of the original school structures but said the changes are necessary. “It’s a chance we have to take,” she said, referring to the need to cut through original brickwork to accommodate the new security layouts.
Hawke said the projects are being driven by Senate Bill 1, also known as Kentucky’s School Safety Act, which requires schools to strengthen both physical security and how visitors and potential threats are managed.
“These two projects will essentially add another set of doors so that now somebody will be in a controlled, essentially, a controlled vestibule, so they have to actually interact with someone, not just being seen on camera, but they’re presenting the ID before they’re allowed access to the building,” Hawke said.
Hawke said the new vestibule design supports the law’s goal of preventing unauthorized movement inside school buildings by ensuring every visitor is vetted face-to-face before entering student areas.
“It’s really great that these two projects have been approved, and I know the staff at both schools are very happy about it,” she said.
Key Points:
– $200,000 approved for security upgrades at Caverna elementary and middle schools
– Renovations include new reception windows and dual-level visitor vetting
– Similar controlled-entry systems are already in place at Caverna High School
– Project aligns with state school safety requirements
Gage Wilson for Glasgow News 1 contributed to this story
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