Pickett Co. Schools Ramping Up School Safety Metrics Before First Day

As Pickett County School System returns for its first day back to school, leadership has safety at the forefront of their minds.

Director of Schools Diane Elder said they have recently applied for a school safety grant in hopes of improving building access. She said the goal is to make have all keyless entries in the school system.

“Which only employees of the school would have,” Elder said.”And that sort of keeps control of all the entryways and keeps from having keys made passing out in the public and everything. Which would keep our buildings more secure.”

Elder said they applied for up to $25,000. She said while that may not seem like much, the school system is willing to invest more of its own money to boost safety. Elder said if the budget allows, they would also like to explore the possibility of deadbolts on all of the doors at the high school.

Elder said leading up to the start of school, faculty and staff has participated in safety trainings with local law enforcement and the Tennessee High Patrol. She said while the system awaits hearing back about funding, these agencies have given the school ideas for how to improve safety in the meantime.

“That is something that I guess there will be a conversation between myself and the fire marshal, but we hope to deadbolts because we see it as keep it more secure since our doors at the high school swing out into the hall,” Elder said. “One of the THPs, Matthew Russell gave us a really good idea of how to place a chair in the handle of the door and that would keep the door from being opened in the hallway and things to do like cover our windows.”

Elder said the hope is to continue to find ways to keep faculty, staff and students feel safe in secure while working and learning.