The “Ongoing” Issue of Safety in Schools: New Security Measures at KHS

Mikaela Schlueter - 12

10/15/2018

At the beginning of this school year, Kirksville High School installed a security gate in front of the courtyard and added locks to numerous entrances. A significant reason Kirksville R-III implemented the new gate is they are always looking for new ways to improve campus security. “It was just all for safety,” states Officer Harden, the current resource officer. “It’s to keep anybody from just walking in off the streets.”

Director of Transportation and Maintenance Shawn Corbett says the high school has always been difficult to secure. When he attended KHS in the 80’s, the layout was more of a “California-style” with three courtyards that have since become more closed in. A big issue currently is the courtyard at the entrance of the high school. John Warner who works in the Center for Educational Safety spoke to Kirksville R-III staff and talked about how the courtyard was an area that could and should be addressed quickly. His words were another reason sparking the initiative to install the gate. Corbett and other district administration decided that, at the moment, the new gate was the best option to help secure the area. With the addition of the buzz-in system, the overall cost only came to around two thousand dollars.

So far, the administration is very pleased with the gate. Corbett states that he has received numerous good reports from Principal Randy Mikel and Vice Principal Jesse Wolf. “You always cross your fingers that when you make something like that or do something like that, that it’s not too disruptive, but worth the time and effort,” Corbett says.

We are currently living in an extremely dangerous era within America where tragedies like school shootings are a very real and very serious thing. Ever since Columbine in 1999, school districts have worked tirelessly to improve the security systems on campuses. Kirksville R-III School District has taken a big step in this initiative to make our schools safer. Safety on campus is “ongoing” and the school district is always looking for new ways to improve. They will continue upgrading door accesses and camera systems. The school board has always been open and supportive on this issue and might decide to do something further in the future.