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District expands wearable panic-button pilot to additional schools ahead of possible districtwide rollout
Summary
Facilities staff said the district will expand a wearable panic-button and audio alert pilot from one elementary school to two more buildings and evaluate a districtwide deployment for fall 2026; staff said the system can integrate with intercom and fire alarm systems and that the goal is wearables for all employees if pilot proves successful.
Lee's Summit R-VII plans to expand its wearable panic-button pilot to two additional schools after testing at Miller Park, facilities staff told the finance committee June 23.
Mister Gorrell, facilities staff, said the district piloted the emergency alert wearable at Miller Park this year and will expand the pilot to Woodland Elementary and Lee's Summit West. "This is a system that we want to bring on district wide,” he said, describing the technology as a combination of audio enhancement and panic-button functionality with potential future integration to intercom, fire alarm and video systems.
The nut graf: The pilot expansion is a measured step toward a possible districtwide safety system. Staff said if the pilot proves effective, they intend to seek board approval next spring and aim to equip all employees with wearable panic buttons by August 2026.
Gorrell said the system’s capabilities include wearable panic buttons for staff and expanded audio and notification features; the district will evaluate the pilot during the first semester and return with a recommendation for a districtwide rollout in the spring. "I would add that's my push for everybody is that we want to have a wearable panic button device on all employees, not just teachers, but all employees by August of 2026," he said.
Committee members asked for clarification on scope and timelines; staff reiterated the pilot expansion timeframe and that the system is being evaluated for integration and longer-term maintenance needs.
Ending: The committee advanced the pilot expansion and asked staff to report pilot results and any integration or cost implications when they return to the board next spring.
