School safety plan brings changes to Lakeside-Somers School District
Winter is waning as is the school year, and we’re already planning for next year.
Prior to looking ahead, I’d like to note that at a recent Somers School Board meeting school safety and related issues were addressed. Since that meeting, the Building, Facilities, and Grounds Committee met to address short and long term planning based on input at the meeting. School safety is an ongoing endeavor and is forever evolving.
There are a number of changes in place and one you’ll notice soon is the requirement for visitors to both schools to sign in and out. Visitors will also be required to wear a badge that lets school personnel know visitors have checked into the office. If a visitor is found to not have checked in at the office, they will be politely redirected to the office for a sign-in pass.
Please help us out and take the extra minute to check in before going anywhere else. It is a small inconvenience, but one that can provide a safer environment for our greatest natural resource, our children.
As the school board, staff, and I look to the next school year, there are many things to address. They include a facility review and related needs. This includes minor and major maintenance and repairs. We also have to look at classroom needs such as textbooks, equipment, and related materials. Of course, there’s also the technology aspect that continually needs addressing, upgrading, and maintenance. Upgrades to provide a safer school environment are being weighed too.
As many of you know, the Legislature is in session, and as a school official, I anxiously await their action on school funding. The funding formula is very complex and political, and until a decision is made, it makes planning for next year a bit more cumbersome. Of course, there are competing interests vying for a piece of the pie.
Thus far, this legislative session appears to be progressing more smoothly than it has for quite some time. Dare I say there has been more bipartisanship? I hope it continues because everyone benefits when there is cooperation at all levels of government.
In all of this planning, the board and I realize your tax dollars support Somers and Lakeside schools. So as we plan for the next school year, we have to weigh the impacts of our decisions on you. It’s a tremendous balancing act to plan short and long term for student and facility needs. And as we plan, we will keep in mind the big picture and look for your support as we address the district’s most critical needs so we can provide the quality education the children in our community deserve.
Paul Jenkins,
Superintendent of Lakeside-Somers Schools