OTHS officials told the board they are upgrading building security to two-factor key-card access, scheduling regular security meetings for staff and have completed hiring a new school resource officer (SRO) who will be primarily housed at the Millburn campus.
These changes matter because they alter building-access procedures and campus security staffing ahead of the school year.
Superintendent-level staff described the changes: the district plans to convert existing key-card readers so that, in addition to swiping an ID card, users must enter a PIN to gain entry. Staff said the district is still resolving compatibility differences across several card-reader models and expects to have the system in place by the first day of school; until then the existing key-card system will remain in use. The director of security plans to hold monthly or quarterly open security meetings after the school day for staff to raise observations and questions.
The district also announced completion of a hire for a new SRO—identified in the meeting as Tom Panitzky—who the presenter said has two years with OPD, five years with Fairview Heights and four years with the SIUE police department and is a former Marine. The presenter said Panitzky will primarily be housed at the Millburn campus and will assist feeder schools in O'Fallon. When asked whether city council approval remained outstanding, the presenter said they had received communication from Chief Griggaman but were not certain whether the city council still needed to vote; other participants suggested it "sounded like they still had to vote on it."
No formal board action on security policy or the SRO contract was recorded in the meeting; district staff characterized the items as implementation steps and noted some external approvals may be required.