BCISD teachers in classrooms can lock down campus with new system
In an emergency, any teacher in a classroom will be able to lock every door on a Burnet school district campus at once after a new remote lockdown system has been installed.
The Burnet Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the $1.3 million project at its regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 20. It should be installed and ready to use by January 2024, Superintendent Keith McBurnett said. He noted that supply chain disruptions are still affecting construction timelines.
“We currently have the wireless door-lock system on all exterior doors at all campuses,” McBurnett told DailyTrib.com after the meeting. “This would place that same technology on interior classroom doors so that, with a push of a button, we could ensure all doors are in a locked mode.”
When activated, the system also immediately calls 911.
“School safety is a priority in Burnet CISD, and this is one more way to harden our facilities,” the superintendent said.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
Trustees approved a resolution to pay all staff for the three days campuses were closed due to the ice storm from Jan. 31-Feb. 2. The action also included making April 7 a staff holiday. It was originally marked as a scheduled staff makeup day.
In approving the 2022-23 calendar, the board also reviewed — and decided against — adopting a four-day school week. About 40 school districts in Texas have a four-day week.
“The board did not express a desire for any further investigation of a four-day school week calendar at this time because of the significant child care challenges associated with this calendar and uncertainty that a longer day for four days truly replaces the missed instruction of a fifth day,” McBurnett said.