Final school safety talk Monday, item for trustees

First on the list is laminate film for campus windows. The film is applied to glass and prevents it from shattering when shot, delaying a potential shooter and providing additional response time in case a window is punctured.

This was suggested as an alternative to the instillation of true bullet-resistant glass that, district officials say, would be both cost prohibitive and a long term project requiring extensive structural modifications to the existing structure.

Second is a proposal to add access controls with intercoms and sensors for external doors on campuses. This idea aligns with several public suggestions made at the first two safety meetings, asking that doors sense when they’ve been propped open and alert administration when not secured property.

There were questions asked about additional training or punishment for staff that propped doors open, an idea that El Campo Superintendent Bob Callaghan agreed was necessary.

The third security item on the agenda is the potential for Vape Detection Devices for the district. These tools detect air quality. If contamination is in the air, the device sends a report to a computer that the sensor was tripped. Several companies advertise their devices as anti-vape and anti-bullying devices that can be installed in places like restrooms where cameras aren’t allowed.

Residents who want to add to the safety discussion for ECISD can attend the last public meeting of the school safety and security council, being held at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, 801 Palacios, at 6 p.m. Monday July 25.

The school board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday July 26, at the ECISD Administration building, 700 W. Norris, and is open to the public.