Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Monona Grove details security upgrades, regular drills and reunification procedures
Loading...
Summary
The Monona Grove School District outlined building security upgrades (video intercoms, programmable locks, camera updates), monthly drills including two active-threat drills yearly, and a structured reunification plan requiring photo ID and updated Infinite Campus contacts.
Rachel Martin, the safety and security coordinator for the Monona Grove School District, laid out a series of physical upgrades and operational practices the district says it uses to keep students and staff safe.
Martin described recent investments in entry security and monitoring, saying the district installed video intercoms at main vestibule doors and upgraded door programming so exterior entrances stay locked except when monitored. She said classroom doors use magnetic strips so students can leave briefly without unlocking handles, but "the handle itself is always kept locked" so teachers can rapidly secure rooms. The district also maintains an extensive camera system across its seven buildings and is updating cameras to better fit each location.
The district uses a Visitor Aware kiosk in each school's main office to screen and badge visitors. Martin said the system requires ID, runs checks against offender databases and watch lists, and prints a badge "so that our staff and our students know that you are a vetted person." If the system flags a visitor, it notifies the school resource officer, the safety coordinator and building administrators so the person can be secured in the office while staff address the concern.
Martin emphasized that hardware and systems must be paired with trained people. She summarized the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) used districtwide — the five protocols "hold," "secure," "evacuate," "shelter" and "lockdown" — and described when each is used. For active-threat incidents she repeated the district guidance: "locks, lights, out of sight," and said staff and students follow those steps until law enforcement makes the scene safe.
On drills, Martin said the district runs one drill per month, consistent with state requirements, and conducts two active-threat drills annually (one in the fall and one in the spring). After each drill building-level situation response teams debrief to identify improvements. The district applies trauma-sensitive principles for drills and in February 2026 changed elementary lockdown practice to run drills districtwide at once so younger students experience a consistent, developmentally appropriate procedure.
Martin also explained the district’s reunification process: families will receive instructions from the district about where to meet, must present photo ID, and the district will allow only one parent or guardian per family to reunify a student. She urged families to keep contact information current in Infinite Campus so the district can send accurate day-of messaging and protocol updates.
The presentation closed with Martin offering to answer follow-up questions and directing families to the district website for contact information and drill resources.
