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Safety task force reports SRO staffing changes and plans Open Gate 2 demo
Summary
The district reported an SRO reassignment (Deputy Votov replaced by Deputy Quesenberry at Thomas Jefferson), summarized a school‑safety presentation by guest Don Schmidt, and announced a planned Open Gate 2 board demo March 30–31 to evaluate reduced false alerts and other improvements.
The safety task force updated the board on staffing and technology changes. The task‑force speaker (S5) said Deputy Votov has moved back to patrol and Deputy Quesenberry will begin as the SRO at Thomas Jefferson, and that the district is still recruiting to fill one remaining SRO position.
S5 summarized a guest presentation by Don Schmidt (guest) that emphasized the role of connection and presence in school safety and introduced an ESAT framework (engagement, supervision, access control, territorial reinforcement). S5 said Don Schmidt left the group with eight engagement techniques and provided a handout summarizing the presentation.
On technology, S5 described the district's Open Gate detection system and said a new Open Gate 2 board is available with enhanced filtering to reduce electromagnetic noise and fewer "ghost alerts." The district scheduled a March 30–31 daylong demo in which one high‑school board will be swapped and run for a day to assess differences; if the demo shows material improvement, the district may consider wider adoption.
S5 also outlined the district's process if federal immigration agents or other law‑enforcement officers visit campus: verify the officer's identity and agency, request legal process documentation, consult the school attorney as needed, and notify parents if staff intends to speak to a student.
Why it matters: The SRO assignment affects day‑to‑day campus supervision; the Open Gate evaluation could change security‑screening performance and user experience across campuses. Clear procedures for law‑enforcement visits aim to protect student and parental rights while cooperating with lawful investigations.
Next steps: The district will run the Open Gate 2 demo March 30–31, continue SRO recruitment, and keep the board informed of findings and staffing status.
