District outlines security, safety and facilities upgrades including SaferWatch pilot

Security and facilities staff briefed the North Santiam SD 29J board on a package of safety and campus-improvement projects completed or underway and on a district pilot of a staff panic-alert app.

Gary Hurley, the district's security lead, summarized summer work: ADA door-opening devices integrated with front-door camera and intercom systems; installation of riot-resistant film on main entrance glazing (final perimeter sealant pending); and new electric gates and fencing at athletic and maintenance-yard access points designed to secure the back of campuses during the school day. Hurley also described work tied to a Title IX complaint involving the girls' softball field: bullpen fences have been installed and plans for a small restroom and concession area are being developed pending permits and septic/water hookups.

Hurley said the district pursued a SaferWatch panic-alert system after Oregon Department of Education grant opportunities and vendor review. "SaferWatch came in and matched the $2,000 per location cost," he said, and staff negotiated a seven-year locked-in price for licensing. The district has beta-tested the app with staff at select sites and has configured geofencing so the app activates only on campus; external emergency buttons (active shooter, police, fire, medical) are routed to the 9-1-1 center through the police department.

Facilities Director Dave Parsons reviewed facilities work: refinishing gym floors (a Sublimity floor project came in slightly above estimate), a district LED lighting upgrade that was reduced from initial contractor estimates after Oregon Energy Trust discounts, playground rubber-mulch work and equipment moves, carpet replacement across classrooms and offices, parking-lot striping, a scoreboard installation, and ongoing roof-warranty repairs. Parsons provided order-of-magnitude cost figures for materials and contractor work and noted some schedule and warranty coordination issues.

Board members asked for follow-up details: which locations are in the SaferWatch pilot, how the geofencing works, timeline and permitting for the softball restroom project, and a clearer accounting of in-house labor vs. contracted savings on facilities work. Staff committed to providing additional detail and photos to board members.

Quote: "We're testing [SaferWatch] now for the next month or so to see how it works before we get final approval and start rolling it out to the rest of the buildings," Gary Hurley said.

Next steps: staff will complete SaferWatch testing, finalize remaining installations (sealants, gates repairs), pursue required permitting for softball-restroom work, and provide requested cost-comparison details to the board at a future meeting.