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Board hears pillar‑4 security update: tabletop drills completed; FCI used to guide capital priorities
Summary
District staff reported that all schools completed at least one tabletop security exercise this year, described example scenarios used in drills, and explained how the Facilities Condition Index (FCI) tracks building condition and helps prioritize capital projects.
Carroll County Public Schools staff told the board that all schools completed at least one tabletop security exercise this school year and described how the district uses drills and a Facilities Condition Index to inform safety and capital planning.
Security exercises: Mr. Curtis Pierce and Mr. Brian Elliott, who staff the school security office, said the district encouraged schools to run tabletop or functional exercises and that the Maryland Center for School Safety recently coordinated statewide exercises. Examples Pierce described included a trespass scenario, an off-site reunification drill using different campus sites, and an after‑school event with multiple injuries requiring EMS and law enforcement. "One of the examples was a trespass. Someone got into the building, they weren't supposed to be in the building. What's our protocol? How would we handle it?" Pierce said. He said exercises include a reflection phase to identify gaps and best practices.
Facilities Condition Index: District staff presented the FCI metric used in the Facilities Master Plan. The index combines a building’s physical condition and how well its design supports educational programs. Staff noted that recent modernizations — for example, previous investments in an East Middle School and a Career and Tech building — improved the index, while long gaps between modernizations tend to raise it. The superintendent emphasized that the FCI is a planning and benchmarking tool used to prioritize projects in the capital-improvement program.
Why it matters: Security exercises prepare school teams for likely and uncommon scenarios and produce after-action observations used to refine training and resources. The FCI guides decision-making about which buildings should be recommended for modernization in the capital plan.
Next steps: Staff said schools are encouraged to complete additional exercises and the Security Advisory Council maintains a list of exercise options. Facilities staff will continue to use the FCI as a benchmark for CIP recommendations.
