CASE beefs up security to ensure student safety

Ran on Friday, August 31, 2007

CASE beefs up security to ensure student safety Card access system, cameras installed

By Keighla Schmidt
Leader-Telegram staff

Numbers are a fundamental part of a new school year: new math books, locker combinations and the number of rows behind the cute boy in social studies class.

For the five Catholic Area Schools of the Eau Claire Deanery, numbers are a fundamental part of their new security equation.

Each door entrance will be numbered to simplify directions for visitors. Additionally, a card access system - to deter unauthorized school visitors - and cameras were installed during the summer.

"It's to give access to who should be there, and restrict access to who shouldn't be in, or at least make them check in first," CASE President Cindy Hofacker said.

New measures to keep students safe are a priority, Hofacker said.

"It's a reaction to the way the world is," Hofacker said. "Not because of a specific problem, but because society has changed."

Staff and faculty will have cards to get into the buildings.

Each building is different, but all schools in the system now have more security.

Students, along with their parents, will be able to get in and out during the opening and closing minutes of the school days.

"It won't impact their daily lives," Hofacker said. "Students shouldn't have to worry about security. Adults should have to worry about security."

Hofacker said she recognizes the inconvenience it may have initially on the school community, but she thinks the changes are necessary, and the $100,000 price tag, paid through fundraisers started last year, is worthwhile.

"It's a small amount of money when you consider the security of your children," she said.

Significant security changes began when elementary school Principal Joseph Eisenhuth and two others attended a crisis management convention in the spring.

The physical changes to the buildings are only a third of the security plan, Eisenhuth said. The others are policy and training.

"Each teacher will have the tools to manage a variety of situations," Eisenhuth said.

By the end of the semester, every teacher in the CASE system will be trained and certified in first aid. By the end of the year, some staff and faculty members will be CPR certified.

The policy portion includes a lengthy document outlining procedures for a variety of situations, including how to react to things such as a fire, weather emergency, utility issue or the death of a student. There is also a neon-colored quick reference sheet for basic responses in addition to the longer form.

"It's important to always secure students first," Hofacker said.

While the school system implemented other security measures in the past, the updated version is more than a physical upgrade.

"It's important to get updated," Hofacker said. "Some of the situations (we are concerning ourselves with now) just weren't there in the past."

There were other concerns CASE had to consider.

Some of the academic buildings are attached to parishes. Security for those facilities had to be in conjunction with the church officials as well.

Hofacker said it forced the churches and schools to realize each other's issues and discuss security plans to come up with the best system.

Schmidt can be reached at 833-9203 or keighla.schmidt@ecpc.com