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Committee discusses door-locking, magnets and cost of electronic locks during rounding update
Summary
As part of a review of classroom roundings, staff flagged door locking as a recurring safety "look-for," described low-cost fixes such as magnetic devices and plates on exterior doors, and said full electronic lock systems would be costly. No capital decisions were made at the meeting.
During discussion of the district's rounding practice, staff and committee members focused on safety 'look-fors,' particularly door locking and how to balance welcoming entrances with rapid lockdown capability.
David, a staff member, emphasized the operational priority: "As a safety team member, having your door locked is it's the most important thing you can do." Staff explained many buildings are older and not wired for district-wide electronic locks, and they described lower-cost mitigations such as magnetic devices that keep doors open but allow quick closure and plates on exterior doors to reinforce security.
Committee members asked whether doors could be set to auto-lock; staff said full electronic fobs and automated systems would be "very expensive" and that current practice emphasizes teacher ability to lock doors from the inside and targeted hardware fixes. Becky Hines was mentioned as having helped identify areas where magnets or other devices improved safety without compromising welcoming spaces.
No motion or budget commitment was made at the meeting. Staff said they will continue to use the rounding checklist to monitor safety practices and bring back updates as needed.
