A representative from the Department of Homeland Security recently visited Allen Schools to help the system improve its safety and security measures.

A full report is expected in the future. However, Superintendent Jeff Hiatt spoke about the matter December 12^th at the regular meeting of the Allen School Board during administrative reports.

The Visit

“A Homeland Security guy came and did his walkthrough on the campus,” Hiatt said. “He spent all day up here. I’ll tell you a little bit about what he found, but he’s going to write us a report which I’ll share at a later meeting after we get it. He said it’ll probably be over a hundred pages, and have lots of pictures, so he’ll detail everything. He said you’d be surprised that a lot of things won’t cost you any money to fi x.”

Hiatt said the visit involved the representative viewing the school as if he were a bad person, intent on infl icting harm.

Hiatt said the man complimented the fact that Allen Schools’ keep the front doors locked.

“He said that’s a plus,” Hiatt said. “He said you’d be surprised at how many don’t even do that.”

Hiatt said he asked the rep at what level is Allen compared all the other schools the man has visited.

“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. So once we get that (report), we’ll start knocking some of those things out.”

Hiatt said the agent also had a concern for what occurs during morning drop off. It’s a issue a parent shared a concern for as well, Hiatt said.

“He (the representative) said he stood out there, and, as cars were pulling out, there were kids walking across the parking lot, little kids,” Hiatt said. “He said it’s just an accident waiting to happen. So that week, we moved the gate down, and then Jason Watkins donated to us some railroad ties so people don’t drive around it until we get the fence built.”

The agent also spoke of the schools’ cafeteria.

“We lock everything on campus, other than the cafeteria,” Hiatt said. “(The agent) said that’s where we’re all gathered at in large numbers.”

Hiatt said they are looking at having the same system as many other schools. He said there are people on duty while the kids are having lunch, but they could install a camera system where, when it is not lunchtime, a faculty member or an administration official could push a button and let someone into the cafeteria if they recognize them.

Board Secretary Brenda Robertson mentioned also installing a card reader so faculty could just scan themselves into the cafeteria when need be.

Hiatt said the agent suggested having an identification system as well.

“He said most schools have gone to an ID system where a teacher’s wearing something,” Hiatt said. “Something to identify if you’re a visitor. He said you can’t prevent everything, but you want to it slow down. If you have a bad situation, you want all these things in place to slow it down.”

Hiatt said the agent showed up at the school early, even before Hiatt arrived.

“He showed up and was walking around campus,” Hiatt said. “He was out taking pictures of our buses as they were unloading. And I want to give a plug to (teacher) Jan Rutherford, because she was walking the school, and she was like, ‘Who is this guy out here taking photos of our school buses and kids?’”

Hiatt said Rutherford was getting ready to call police when she learned it was the agent.

“He said that’s what he was wanting,” Hiatt said. “He didn’t want me showing him around. He said, ‘Just let me walk around, I want to see if the kids let me in a room. Because I’m a stranger, they shouldn’t. If I come knock on the door, do they let me in?’ It will be in the report if they did, I don’t know (right now).”

Other Administrative

Reports

In other reports, Hiatt spoke about grants and fundraisers

“We had that elementary fundraiser last month, and they raised over $2,000,” he said. “They kind of opened up the gym before the high school did. But they netted over $2,000 that (will go) into the activity fund.”

Hiatt spoke about a Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) grant.

“Some good news, we passed that TSET grant, which is that tobacco settlement,” he said. “We came in and kind of updated our tobacco policy and healthy foods. And in doing so, we were able to apply for that TSET grant, and we were awarded $17,000 to be used on playground equipment. So we’re in the process of -- with our playground -- having somebody come over and look at it. Kind of look at everything before we just buy something and stick it out there.”

Hiatt said one area of concern is the fact that the system lost its outdoor basketball court due to the construction of a new building.

“And that’s kind of the number one complaint from the kids,” he said. “There’s nowhere to bounce a ball. Maybe we can look at putting a pad down. We still have all the goals.”

The schools have until the end of the school year to use the grant money. Hiatt indicated it would be after the Christmas break before any purchases are made.

Gifted and Talented

“We’re trying to do some stuff with our gifted kids that we haven’t done in the past,” Hiatt said. “... We’re doing all these intervention groups where we’re leveling them up on their ability, teaching them what they’re missing. Talking to LeeAnna Williams, the reading specialist, she’s all excited because we’ve got kids actually moving. That’s the whole purpose of it. You’ve got kids as you do these tests, well this kid doesn’t need to be in this group, and we’re moving (that student) to a higher group so (he/she) can be challenged more. So we’ve got kids who are going up the stepladder, so to speak, based on these interventions.”

Basketball

Tournament and New

Gym

Hiatt mentioned the compliments they received during the 2019 Pontotoc Conference Tournament, held at the new gymnasium.

The school system made more money than the $4,500 that the system must pay the conference to host the tournament.

Hiatt said the system also had to pay the referees.

“Basketball officials, they aren’t cheap,” he said.

“We should try and get some more expensive ones,” Board Member Kelly Hurt replied, indicating the offi ciating was subpar.

Hiatt said the offi ciating was the one complaint he heard more than anything else.

“We really didn’t have any complaints, other than the refs,” Hiatt said. “But it’s nice to have people come up to you, or, I’m standing in the lobby and hear people from other schools, and they’re like, ‘Wow, this is nice.’”

Hiatt continued speaking about monies earned from the tournament.

“We were wanting to make the $4,500, and we made enough basically to cover the refs and the conference,” Hiatt said. “But that breaks it all down. Just keep in the mind, the concession, that’s gross, that’s not net. That’s not all profi t.”

Hiatt mentioned the glass windows on one side of the basketball court.

“On the west end, on the windows, we didn’t have anybody go into them, but the padding only goes yay high. But the window pane is sharp and it’s metal.”

Hiatt said new padding is scheduled to arrive this week.

“Better late than never, but we’ll get that fi xed,” he said.

Hurt mentioned some problems with the fl oor in the new gym, to which Hiatt responded.

“We’re under warranty for a year, and there are some things with the floor that we’ve got documented,” Hiatt said. “He’s going to come back. It’s too late to fix it before (the season starts), but we took pictures, and I got a letter from him that he’s going to come back when the season is over and try to fix some stuff.”

Hiatt said he received a letter from the Calvin boys’ basketball coach which praised the schools and students.

“He wrote a nice letter, and then I talked to him,” Hiatt said. “If you were there that night, our kids were cheering on Calvin, and he said, ‘We wouldn’t have won that game without you guys.’”

“It was pretty cool (that night),” Board Clerk Jami Rinehart said. “I was proud of the kids.”

Repairs at the

Schools

Hiatt spoke about making repairs at the schools.

“We’ve been doing a lot of work on our campus,” Hiatt said. “A lot of stuff you can’t see. We’ve been fixing stuff. I didn’t know how much stuff has just been let go over the years.”

Hiatt said a lot of things were put on the back burner over the years, and it has added up to a lot of work now.

“My philosophy is, if it’s broke, we need to fi x it,” Hiatt said. “If you let it go, it’s going to run down. The kids see it. The kids are up here, there’re just things that drive me nuts. You walk into a classroom and half the light bulbs are burned out. I mean we’re supposed to be educating our kids, it needs to be the best classroom environment we can make it. So we’ve been fixing a lot of stuff.”

Hiatt said they’ve also been working to improve the baseball fi eld.

“We’re not going to wait until two weeks before baseball season and run out there and try to get the field ready, we’re working on it right now,” he said.

Consent Agenda

The board approved the consent agenda which consisted of the fiscal year 2019-2020 purchase orders and encumbrances: General fund numbers 214 thru 221 ($3,700.73); building fund numbers 30 through 32 ($3,338.67); child nutrition fund numbers 36 thru 41 ($159,300); bond fund numbers 22 and 23 ($4,500.00).

The agenda also included the treasurer’s report, activity fund report, a supplemental appropriation to the building fund for fiscal year 2020 in the amount of $57,845.72 and an FFA trip to Oklahoma City.

Action Items

The board approved action items which included the adoption of new and revised Board Policies as provided by the OSSBA.

Executive Session

After entering executive session, the board returned and approved the resignation of Donna Tatum as high school secretary.