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School safety improvements discussedROCHESTER, Jan 04, 2013 (Foster's Daily Democrat - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Thursday night, the Building Committee met to discuss recent public safety improvements throughout the Rochester School District. Superintendent Michael Hopkins informed Rochester School Board members many parents didn't realize some safety measures were installed in the all elementary schools and Rochester Middle School last September before the Newtown, Conn., Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. All of those schools were equipped with Aiphone video intercoms for front-door video monitoring at the start of the school year. The committee unanimously approved the installation of several more intercom systems, to be placed at the Superintendent's Office in the Community Center, Bud Carlson Academy, the Richard W. Creteau Regional Technology Center as well as Spaulding High School. Additional swiping card systems were approved for the Chamberlain Elementary School entrance from the parking lot and the William Allen Elementary School day care facility on Thursday as well, for a total price tag for all systems of $19,507. Rochester resident Doris Gates asked the committee for an update on the district's space studies, which include the possibility for increasing security at Spaulding High School with mechanisms in place to protect all 55 exterior doors of the old structure. Hopkins said the district is waiting for solid estimates to come forward from Eckman Construction regarding elementary school projects, with an estimate expected to be received by Feb. 1. Hopkins noted an estimate from the security company that worked to install the other monitoring systems is expected to be received by mid-January. ___ (c)2013 the Foster's Daily Democrat (Dover, N.H.) Visit the Foster's Daily Democrat (Dover, N.H.) at www.fosters.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |