[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6484923,"mediaKeyId","5548865-6120ffa4b6f8b927269baee9458958ea","parentId",5548865,"title","Board declines immediate switch to ALERT program; district to continue reviewing school safety options","audioSeconds",2433,"startMs",2795000,"endMs",5228000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5548865-6120ffa4b6f8b927269baee9458958ea&start=2795&end=5228","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5548865-6120ffa4b6f8b927269baee9458958ea/thumbnail_2795000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6484923/South-Dakota/Board-declines-immediate-switch-to-ALERT-program-district-to-continue-reviewing-school-safety-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6484923-9f00c3a270a9edefede24410d7d29ee2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773650867&Signature=Sf68EBjsVSxUeDIh56tAx8qut41I45jHHhVvn~dPQjoHlqrI~RwRtlNgTRtBZZFbPWgXtfQfEb6sbit~E4HdM3TmeIQ0xDZZA9d77pHTERxiB0-qZHi-qlrw3kcFnFyGcJq5tYzp7A3PoD7uC0IiUpu-CXdCgn7WgfuUHa6~U9NuQUPUFfuqlhnWCkDw5g8ybjVygvzOYwFWWSB19A9NHJywzyf9UC-tpZLG2whHozDzzQk5~Vn-MPH~WZLfyhQj6rsBrjTRvnpkasHyiszh7HX9w6bdCui0ZfjBP4yPcdpXp-E6M6sU0mQ6RJ0z7yp8Z1HbxmhqiX5Fn6mYcErvRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rapid City Area Schools","date","2025-08-07T01:52:29.18Z","article","The Rapid City Area School District 51-4 Board of Education declined a staff proposal to adopt the ALERT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) model this school year and voted to keep existing procedures under current vendor agreements while continuing safety planning.

Mister Sargent, the district safety manager, described several safety initiatives the district is piloting or proposing for rollout: an outdoor alert strobe-and-speaker system that links to cameras and panic buttons, a visitor-management system with ID scanning and printed photo badges, and a pilot deployment of weapon-detection equipment at activities and athletic events. He also recommended a change in active-shooter training from ALICE to ALERT/ALERRT, saying, \"In my it's it's of my opinion that it is time to change from ALICE to alert.\" The board ultimately voted down a motion to adopt ALERT for the upcoming year.

During the discussion, Sargent said the outdoor alert system is funded through an existing Safe Schools grant and would not cost the district beyond that grant if the purchases are within grant allowances. He explained the visitor-management system being tested with Johnson Controls would scan IDs, run a registered-offender check and print a photo badge so staff can track who is in each building. On weapon detection, Sargent said the district purchased ten sets of equipment but that staffing to operate detection at events remains a constraint; planned pilots aim to test feasibility for sporting and other controlled events.

Board members asked whether switching to ALERT this close to the start of school would create confusion and requested a phased approach if the district proceeds. Several board members said they wanted time for additional staff and family communication and training. Board Member Christine Stephenson said she preferred a slower rollout, calling an immediate switch \"a big change for the district a couple weeks before school starts.\" Other board members raised concerns about the proportion of classrooms that lock from the inside; Sargent estimated roughly 30% of classrooms can lock from the inside and later said about half of doors could be secured by some method when accounting for multiple locking types.

Sargent described how ALERT emphasizes avoid/deny/defend strategies and aligns more directly with current law-enforcement rapid-response tactics; he said local law enforcement and the state security manager Brett Garland are already receiving ALERT training and can support district instruction. Sargent said he and Garland are certified ALERT instructors and offered to provide district training if the board approves the change.

The full board then voted on a motion to approve the switch to ALERT for the coming year; the motion failed on a roll-call vote with the board recording a unanimous \"No.\" Following the failed motion, board members and staff discussed options including maintaining ALICE for the 2025–26 school year and implementing ALERT later with a more phased training plan.

Other safety items the district said it will pilot this year include:
- Outdoor alert lighting/audio tied to cameras and panic buttons (Safe Schools grant funding).
- Visitor-management system (Johnson Controls) with ID scanning and a registered-offender check.
- Pilot weapon-detection systems at selected high-school activities, with added security staffing planned for events when the systems are used.

The board did not adopt ALERT at the meeting; administration said ALICE vendor access remains in place through September and that either option (renew ALICE for the year or plan a phased ALERT transition for a later start) can be implemented depending on the board’s decision timeline. Sargent said he had drafts of both the revised Alice-based crisis plan and an ALERT plan ready to proceed once the board provides direction.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 5, 2025 Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","After a staff presentation on new safety tools and a proposed transition from ALICE to the ALERT/ALERRT training model, the board voted against adopting ALERT for the upcoming school year; staff outlined pilots for outdoor alert strobes, weapon-detection equipment at events and visitor ID systems.","taxTitle","Rapid City Area School District 51-4, School Districts, South Dakota","taxId",12939,"location","South Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6484927,"Rapid City schools roll out facilities survey as board weighs next steps on potential bond",1054,1217000,2271000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5548865-6120ffa4b6f8b927269baee9458958ea&start=1217&end=2271","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5548865-6120ffa4b6f8b927269baee9458958ea/thumbnail_1217000.jpg","/articles/6484927/South-Dakota/Rapid-City-schools-roll-out-facilities-survey-as-board-weighs-next-steps-on-potential-bond","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6484927-804c759e76d6645f48ba1be702c21a39/orig.mp4?Expires=1773650867&Signature=fxbIXoAWw6aQCyHGo1InZNxHTmubYBPN0F5olAjWXzsODrItLybOXaDl5XajscIoUCyav2fYycWaaWTyZkNvsYkYkXLwxqQnNpodhlidPvUdgXBrHoQ1Z~akRvrTsTqKasQzk55zEmHrPcFGJ335U9CPhE~Wt3DTe0SbTqfPUpI4AipmdVfjS~T5wW7Yulp7QWHaZ-n~Jem61tZCEF31mgAHIt4E41uvLTzzsHqcvAj2sA5XCB0lPWRIUb240xIToH6AnyXl8D3k5W9IuQRyB-ItpqmWshxcUAj2LYGsM4n-ehAwBJcNg3yu1n0T0DLED0xJMg63otWupC0Q~WPgfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rapid City Area School District 51-4 released a comprehensive community facilities survey this month as district leaders seek public input to prioritize building improvements and gauge support for a potential future bond referendum.

District staff presented the survey background and the planning process to the Board of Education, saying the effort follows five years of internal and external facility assessments and strategic planning. \"RCS will ensure safe, modern, and effective learning environments by building, improving, and maintaining facilities to meet changing educational needs,\" Mr. Sassy, a district staff member, told the board while summarizing the master-planning work.

The nut of the discussion: why the survey matters. Administration said the survey and associated public outreach will help the board align master-plan priorities with community preferences, identify projects that resonate with voters and supply demographic data the district needs before deciding whether to pursue a bond.

District staff described a multi-year process that began after a failed bond referendum in February 2020 and included internal facility assessments (October–December 2023), development of a facility performance index and a March 2025 master plan produced by Coop Architecture. The district then mailed survey invitations to about 45,000 households and told the board the consultant estimated a 15–20% response rate — roughly 4,500 to 7,000 responses — as a reasonable expectation.

Board members asked how households can complete the survey and how the district will ensure wide participation. Mr. Sassy said additional paper copies and extra access codes are available on request and that the district can issue supplemental codes when a household requests multiple responses. He encouraged residents to call the district to request paper surveys or extra access codes. The administration set an initial compilation date of Aug. 20 but said responses arriving after that date will still be accepted by the consultant.

Board members also discussed whether the community has been adequately informed about the planning work. Board Member Christine Stephenson urged broader media outreach so residents who do not regularly follow board meetings can see the five-year planning timeline and the assessment work that informed the master plan.

The presentation described the facility performance index as a data-driven tool for comparing buildings across consistent criteria (envelope, mechanical systems, electrical infrastructure, technology readiness, safety and security, ADA compliance and educational adequacy). The district said the index helps identify ‘‘critical needs versus desirable improvements’’ and measure return on investment as projects move forward.

Clarifying details provided to the board included:
- A prior bond referendum failed at about 57% in February 2020 (district materials noted the state supermajority requirement is 60%).
- The consultant mailed roughly 45,000 survey invitations; the estimated response-rate target is 15–20% (approx. 4,500–7,000 completed surveys).
- The district completed internal building assessments Oct–Dec 2023 and a consultant-led master plan Oct 2024–Mar 2025.

Board members said they want to reach residents outside the district’s immediate constituencies — including people without children in district schools — and suggested civic presentations and local media stories to explain the work and the potential tax impacts the survey material included. One board member praised a mailed chart showing annual homeowner cost estimates as ‘‘clear’’ and useful for household-level budgeting decisions.

Administration said survey results will be a primary input if the board later decides to pursue a bond referendum and that findings will guide which projects are prioritized for capital-outlay planning.

The presentation closed with a request for public participation and a reminder of several near-term district events, including new-teacher welcome sessions and the district retreat. The board did not vote on any bond measure at the meeting; staff framed the survey as the next step for planning and community engagement.","District staff outlined five years of facility assessments, a new facility performance index and a community survey sent to about 45,000 households to gauge support for possible bond funding; board members asked about response targets, outreach and next steps.","actionData","errors"]

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Board declines immediate switch to ALERT program; district to continue reviewing school safety options

Rapid City schools roll out facilities survey as board weighs next steps on potential bond