At the governing board meeting on Jan. 14, the Litchfield Elementary School District provided updates on its 2024-2025 safety initiatives. Thomas Foster De Oro, the district’s director of …
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The Litchfield Elementary School District provided updates on its 2024-25 safety initiatives during it's governing board meeting Jan. 14.
Thomas Foster De Oro, the district’s director of school safety, presented an overview of the district’s safety goals and ongoing efforts to maintain a secure environment for students, staff, and visitors beyond the district hiring additional School Safety Officers through grant funding.
“As school safety has come to the forefront to a lot of people’s minds, including ours, I just am amazed at the amount of work there is to do,” said Kimberly Moran a Litchfield Elementary School District governing board member.
Foster De Oro outlined several goals for the year, focusing on enhancing the district’s safety protocols. One primary objective is to establish safety teams at each school and department by the end of the 2025 school year. These teams will work together to set measurable goals and improve preventive measures to ensure safety.
Another goal is to create and implement a District Emergency Operating Plan in line with newly revised Arizona Department of Education standards.
Superintendent Dr. Carter Davidson said while the district lacks many trained safety professionals, a collaborative approach at each school site can help address specific challenges.
“If you put a multidisciplinary team together from a site that knows what problems exist, they can raise that information and problem-solve around it,” Davidson said.
Foster De Oro reported the plan is under development and will be reviewed by the superintendent before being approved by the board. The district also aims to revise and create standard operating procedures for addressing issues related to school and workplace safety. Foster De Oro noted progress, including the launch of Centegix Crisis Alert and Visitor Management Systems to enhance security.
“Safety and kids feeling comfortable and safe at schools is definitely my number one concern. If they’re not safe, nothing else matters,” said Michele Wallace, a governing board member and parent.
In addition to procedural updates, the district plans significant infrastructure upgrades, including the installation of radios, point-of-entry cameras, door buzzers, and vestibule renovations at school sites. These upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of the school year.
Visit lesd79.org for more information.
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