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Westlake board approves donations, student trips and contracts including Centegix safety system purchase
Summary
The Westlake City School District Board approved multiple superintendent recommendations on April 28, including donations to the music program, an overnight instrumental trip, summer camps and a contract to complete installation of a Centegix safety communications system funded in part by an Attorney General grant.
The Westlake City School District Board of Education on April 28 approved a bundle of superintendent recommendations covering gifts and donations, personnel and handbooks, vendor agreements and student activities.
The board accepted three donations: food and beverages from Chick-fil-A at Crocker Park valued at $187.65 and supplies from the Westlake Athletic Boosters valued at $104 for a senior citizen appreciation event at Westlake High School, and a donation of instruments and accessories valued at $16,290 from Janet Rysick to the instrumental music department. The board also approved an overnight instrumental music trip to Orlando; the students will fundraise for the trip.
Under contracts, the board approved a late-added purchase for a Centegix safety communications system. The superintendent and staff said the district previously received an Attorney General grant toward the system (discussed in the meeting as approximately $40,000 grant support) and will use the summer to complete installation. District officials described the Centegix installation as more than handheld "clickers": it will require an installed infrastructure so the devices can communicate with classroom projectors, staff computers and designated emergency contacts; some signals are routed to 911 and to designated staff for rapid response. Board members noted the system has tiered activation (multiple clicks escalate urgency) and can present lockdown prompts on classroom projectors.
Other approved items included consultant services through the Ohio School Council for food-service/dietitian work, approvals for international student-exchange vendor agreements and summer athletic camps, and several handbooks (acceleration/gifted and early entrance). Board members combined items c through q for a single vote; the combined package passed unanimously on a roll call vote.
Board members briefly discussed school safety more broadly during the vote, noting that administrations must consider multiple vulnerabilities and that safety improvements are ongoing. Several board members thanked donors and the instrumental music department for the donations.
