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The schools at the top of the priority list for the are, in no particular order: Sam Hughes Elementary, Robison Elementary, Schumaker Pre-K, Pistor Middle, Warren Elementary, Wheeler Elementary, Lineweaver Elementary, Myers Ganoung Elementary, Pueblo Gardens Pre-K-8, Roskruge K-8, Valencia Middle, Davis Elementary and Booth Fickett K-8 schools.

School Safety Director Joseph Hallums noted that most of those schools were built about 70 years ago, on average, with different intentions of making campuses warm and welcoming.

“Clearly they were not built with the idea of the unfortunate realities that we have to face today,� he said, adding that the goal is now to keep unwanted and unwelcome individuals off campuses. “These are the ones (schools) we identified that we feel are the most critical and need to be moved upon a little quicker.�

Specific features

The security features that were prioritized while determining that list were campuses that needed proper perimeter fencing, security film on windows and keyless entryways at any access doors into campuses.

For fencing, Hallums noted that while all schools follow strict policies of registering and keeping record of everyone who enters campus, the practice becomes less effective if the rest of the campus isn’t as secure.

He provided an example of a school campus with a waist-high fence surrounding a sporting field, and added that the easy access had allowed the area to become a homeless camp for a short while. The area was then left with an old chair, broken bottles and drug paraphernalia.

There are also schools that need more secure windows at the perimeters of campus to keep unwanted visitors out.

“A locked door is kind of a moot point if it’s easy to break a window and reach in and open that door,� he said.

He said that although adding security film to windows facing the exterior of campuses doesn’t make the glass bulletproof, it could provide more safety by making the glass more difficult to see through and break.

“So, while somebody could get through it, it’s going to provide a significant amount of valuable time that we need to be able to respond properly to any issues that may arise,� he said.

Lastly, Hallums said using physical keys for entryways can also be a risk, considering not all staff have keys to each door. Upgrading to keyless, electronic entryways would allow all staff on campus to have control at all times and, in case of an emergency, they could manage those access points via a computer.

The costs of the security improvements for each school ranged from nearly $85,000 up to $332,000. The TUSD Governing Board approved Tuesday to pull that money from different sources including unrestricted capital funds and desegregation capital funds.

As for the timeline for these improvements, Facilities Director Greg Meier said it was difficult to give an estimate because it depends on availability of vendors who can complete the tasks.

Earlier this year, the governing board gave approval to hire a field lieutenant, two dispatchers and five additional school safety officers. Those hires would bring the district to a total of 21 armed safety employees to respond to incidents and emergencies.

Hallums said as of Tuesday, the district had hired the two dispatchers and a lieutenant, and is soon to begin interviewing candidates for the five armed officer positions.

He added that the district’s safety team will continue to propose ideas to the board as more improvements are needed, but the second phase of security improvements will depend on the district’s funding and resources.