The Shawano School Board voted Feb. 12 to use a portion of its remaining $1.1 million of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Resource (ESSER) funds to purchase additional cameras to make sure hallways and classrooms are covered in case of hostile activity.
The school district will purchase the cameras from Wire Technologies in Kaukauna for Hillcrest Primary School, Olga Brener Intermediate School and Shawano Community Middle School to the tune of almost $197,000. The district had previously purchased some cameras to the tune of $100,000 but quickly discovered that the number barely covered Shawano Community High School, according to district technology director Eric Brunner. The ESSER funds have to be spent by the end of September.
“We have a need for additional cameras throughout our schools,” Brunner said.
The total number of cameras will be 475 among all four schools once the latest installation is complete. Once finished, there is expected to be complete coverage inside and outside of the schools, according to Brunner.
Board member John Arens made the motion to approve the purchase of the cameras, but he added the caveat that there needs to be an implementation plan submitted to the district’s finance and facilities committee later in February.
“What I’m looking for is who’s on your project team, what their roles are, what the oversight in this project is, because we’re talking about a large number of cameras from an outside vendor,” Arens said. “The vendor’s going to have to adhere to our school safety plan.”
Arens added he wants to implementation plan to include all applicable warranties and who will be doing the maintenance on the cameras, as well as documentation that the cameras were started up and tested properly.
Brunner noted there’s a five-year warranty for the cameras, and there are some security cameras at the school that are still functioning great after eight years.
Board President Mike Musolff said he understood Arens’ concern, especially with the cameras being a large ticket item.
“It’s really important that we do it right the first time,” Musolff said.
Arens said the cameras should also help when crimes are committed at the school. He noted the recent theft of a catalytic converter from one of the district’s trucks. There was a camera there, but the older style made it difficult to make out the thief.
“The thief looked like Sasquatch,” Arens said.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
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