A security upgrade at all schools in the Monroe Public Schools district will take a major step forward this summer and be completed in the 2015-2016 school year.

     The Monroe Public Schools Board of Education June 23 approved spending $127,118 to purchase 300 more security cameras, 100 mounts and three more servers to operate the system which will include every facility in which there are students.

     The security system installation began 1½ years ago.  When the upgrade is completed, every school building will have security cameras to monitor all entrances, public areas such as parking lots, playgrounds and hallways.

      “This will give us a consistent high level of security protection throughout our district,” said Dr. Barry Martin, superintendent, Monroe Public Schools.  “Parents have told us all along that the safety of their children is critical and we have responded to that.  This is a level of security unmatched in Monroe County schools.”

     The new setup also will allow building conditions throughout the district to be monitored from remote locations in the unlikely event of an emergency,

      “Until now, some buildings have had more hardware in place than others but when this installation project is complete, all will have an identical high level of coverage,” said David Payne, director, Technology for Monroe Public Schools.

     After the Sandy Hook situation in 2012, private security guards were hired to work as door guards at each school building in Monroe Public Schools, the first district to do so.  However, over the last 18 months, the Monroe Public Schools Technology Department has steadily been increasing the number of electronic security devices across the district.  A pilot program using access control, door intercoms and security cameras was tested successfully at Arborwood Elementary Campus in 2013 and 2014.  With the start of the 2014-2015 school year, all school buildings had audio-video intercoms installed at their main entrances, Mr. Payne explained.

     Over the past school year, other security upgrades were instituted across the district.  Access control was put in place for the I Wing and F Wing entrances at Monroe High School.  Security cameras were installed through the building and perimeter areas of Orchard Center High School and Waterloo Elementary School. Security upgrades to be completed