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Grand Island Public Schools unveils near-$8 million project list with districtwide safety upgrades
Summary
Facilities director Dan Petch presented an extensive FY24-25 project list that emphasizes safety: camera and phone-system upgrades, safety film for entrances, vape/sound detectors in restrooms, Raptor visitor management rollout and other repairs, funded largely through QCPUF and special building funds.
On Jan. 9, 2025, Grand Island Public Schools heard an overview of the districtproject list for fiscal year 2024-25 from Dan Petch. The list, Petch said, is among the most ambitious he has assembled and focuses first on safety, followed by building repairs and then nonessential improvements.
The project list included a districtwide camera upgrade and associated equipment (Petch said it will take multiple buildings and estimated the camera work for a group of sites would be roughly $2.5 million), replacement of phone systems with associated wiring upgrades, installation of safety film on exterior entrances, roof replacements and track resurfacing, gym-floor and flooring projects, HVAC and boiler work, and door- and card-access upgrades.
Petch emphasized safety-focused items. He described the safety film planned for exterior doors and sidelights and said it "does not make it bulletproof" but will make a glass breach "breach resistant," adding that such film can take "at least 3 to 5 minutes to breach that opening," giving time to respond. He also explained the planned rollout of the Raptor visitor-management system and said the kiosks perform background checks and will flag people on registries: "If you're on a *** offender registry or something like that, it's gonna flag that."
Petch detailed other items on the list: phased roof work at the senior high, track replacement at Barr Middle School, replacement of a gym floor at Lincoln Elementary, districtwide visitor-management and card-access expansions, vape/sound detectors in restrooms, and multiple building-specific repairs such as window replacement and tuckpointing. He said the total list approaches $8 million and that the district planned to fund those projects from several sources; during the presentation Petch corrected himself to say the district expected approximately $4.3 million from QCPUF and about $2.4 million from the special building fund for the first round of projects.
Board members asked operational questions about contractor availability, materials pricing and specifics of devices used for vape/sound detection and visitor check-in. Petch said construction pricing has stabilized and that some projects will be self-performed by district staff. He said vape-detection devices detect loud sounds (fights, gunshots, other loud disturbances) and are not camera replacements; cameras are not placed inside restrooms. The Raptor system will print visitor badges and is intended to support front-desk screening.
The presentation was an information item; board members asked follow-up questions and were invited to contact Petch with specific queries after the meeting.
