Allen High School will hold a ceremony for graduating seniors, however, some details are still being worked out.

Graduation is set for 10 a.m. June 13 at the new gymnasium.

The announcement was made Monday at the regular meeting of the Allen School Board.

Superintendent Jeff Hiatt said all the details will be worked out before the event. Seniors will be notified of event rules and details as soon as they are established. The information will also be made available on the school’s Facebook page.

Some of the details to be hashed out include determining any special rules, such as limiting guests who can attend, due to the pandemic situation.

There is no plan to hold a promenade dance (prom).

New Hires

The board also hired Chad Colbert as athletic director.

Hiatt said Colbert is from Allen and was with Allen Schools before spending the past two years at Byng as head baseball coach.

“We’ll determine what he’s going to teach and coach,” Hiatt said. “We haven’t got all that worked out yet.”

Allen Schools also hired Brooke Dragich as high school secretary.

“She’s been filling in since Christmas,” Hiatt said, “we just went ahead and made her permanent.”

Homeland Security

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security delivered a full report concerning safety and security measures to Allen Public Schools. A representative from the DHS visited Allen Schools in December to help the system improve its safety and security measures.

At the December 12^th meeting, Hiatt said the visit involved the representative viewing the school as if he were a bad person, intent on inflicting harm.

“He said you’re really not bad, but you’re not good,” Hiatt said, “you’re probably in the middle somewhere. So, I don’t want to be in the middle when it comes to anything security, once we get that (report), we’ll start knocking some of those things out.”

But Hiatt said the system began improving things shortly after the rep’s December visit.

Some of the issues among the 97-page report were discussed at Monday’s meeting.

The report began by detailing vehicle access to the campus, saying visitor vehicle direction signs should be posted at all vehicle entrances.

The report also indicated trespass warning signs should also be posted at vehicle entrances, and exterior signage should direct incoming traffic to parking areas and specific buildings.

The report indicated no trespassing signs would help keep unwanted vehicle traffic off of the campus, while the exterior signage would help limit or eliminate confusion for visitors.

DHS also noted the bus loading and unloading zones were somewhat restricted from general vehicle traffic and separated from parental/student drop-off and pick-up areas.

DHS recommended that Allen Schools “continue to restrict general vehicle traffic at bus loading and unloading zones and separate bus and personnel vehicle interaction. Placing reflective vest(s) on the faculty monitors in these areas also adds another layer of risk management. Identify a safer location for the Pontotoc Technology Center bus to pick up and drop off students.”

DHS also noted where some natural gas and/ or fuel oil systems were not protected by a secure enclosure, fencing or bollards to prevent tampering or accidental damage. The recommendation was to place protective barriers -- such as bollards, fencing or secured enclosures -- around unprotected natural gas or fuel oil systems.

DHS recommended that all classroom doors be equipped or retrofitted with locking mechanisms so doors can be secured from the inside, thus preventing entry by an intruder. And, ensuring all teachers and staff understand the importance of locking interior classroom doors during class time.

But unoccupied classroom doors should be kept locked at all times as well, DHS recommended. Leaving doors unlocked could allow unauthorized entry into a classroom where personal items and valuable items may be stored. It might also offer concealment to any intruder who might be successful in entering a building, according to DHS.

Those were just a few of the many recommendations by DHS, which also noted some issues that might cause safety and security problems at schools, but would list “No issues identified,” if not noted at Allen Schools.

Hiatt said the school system will do what is possible as far as far as improving safety and security is concerned.

“There’re some things we can’t (do), moneywise,” Hiatt said, “but there’re some things we can.”

Consent Agenda

The board also approved the consent agenda, which included the fiscal year 2019-2020 purchase orders and encumbrances: General fund numbers 253 through 258 ($27,883.05); building fund numbers 57 and 58 ($1,923.92); child nutrition fund number 46 ($29,000); construction bond fund number 28 ($4,000); the treasurer�s report; and the activity fund report.

The agenda also included service agreement renewals: MAS Inc.-School Management Software for fiscal year 2021, OKTLE-Teacher Evaluation software, and East Central Oklahoma On-line Consortium for online curriculum; and to declare a list of items surplus for sale, trade, or disposal.

Action Items

The board also approved action items, which included approving a resolution for Schools and Libraries Universal Services (E-Rate) for 2020-2021. The resolution authorizes filing of the Form 471 application(s) for funding year 2020-2021 and the payment of the applicant's share upon approval of funding and receipt of services.

Other action items included entering into a contract with Summit Bus to lease three route buses for $15,000 per bus a year; and the date for Class of 2020 Graduation ceremony.