Civil Municipal Magazine - Nov 2023

244 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 to direct our entire school safety plans, policies, and procedures. We have a lot of great safety measures in our buildings.” “For example, we have a separate secure vestibule area in each building when people enter; they’re in that secure area until they’re buzzed into the building by school personnel. Our goal is to transition all of our interior and exterior door locks to an electronic key fob type entry system that allows us to lock and unlock those systems so we can track who enters, and when they enter, across the district from remote sites.” “We have cameras throughout the district to help us both deter and investigate when there are any particular issues. And we’re looking at our bond issue for some other secure features across the district, like a gunshot detection system that’s being utilized in schools across the state, now. Unfortunately, we spend so much time thinking about it, but the safety of our students and staff is a top priority and we have to recognize what’s going on in the world.” “We want to make sure that not only are we having measures to prevent things but that we’re also proactive in support for our students and staff who perhaps need emotional support or mental health counseling. We have pathways for kids and adults to find qualified people to speak to support them if they are experiencing challenges in their lives.” Community partners Bearden also recognizes that a school district is an integral part of the greater community and that partnerships are essential for its maintenance, operations, and future growth. “We have some great partnerships,” he relates. “GMB Architectural + Engineering and Triangle Construction Management have been our primary partners in our facility needs assessment. They’ve worked with the district to do a comprehensive needs assessment to spread over the next ten years to secure the future of our district by ensuring that our facilities are state-of-the-art and working in the way they’re intended; that they’re secure, safe places for people to learn. That’s a great partnership for us; we have a lot of mutual trust with both of those entities. They’ve been part of our past bond issues and, if we’re fortunate enough to have community support, they’ll be part of our bond issue moving forward.” Another partner is The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area (CFHZ), which helps the area’s young people pursue their dreams of post-secondary education or technical school without the financial burden of student debt. “They gave us a grant to try and close some learning gaps, particularly in third-grade math,” says Bearden. “To have support from a local community non-profit has been a super great thing. I mentioned the Outdoor Discovery Center – they’ve been a great partner for us. Mosaic Counseling provides counseling for both students and staff; they help people find the help they need.” “Huntington Bank has helped refinance us over the last several years. We’ve been able to