MVCSD updates security protocols and equipment

Safety Protocols Update

Dear Mount Vernon Community: 

April 11, 2023 is a day that we will not ignore. What our students and staff at Hamilton School experienced that day was very unfortunate and scary. We are implementing changes to ensure this does not happen again. Safety plans at each school are being reviewed and implemented. 

Mount Vernon City School District’s security team has been working to improve safety protocols across the district to ensure that all students are protected. Last night (Tuesday, April 18, 2023), Assistant Superintendent of Administration, Climate, and Culture Beverley Jones, and Director of Security Dennis Fagan presented the improvements the district has already made and what changes will be made.  

All external doors at Hamilton have been repaired, and all but the one mandated by the fire department will always be locked. A security guard will also monitor the unlocked door at all times. A security gate with a push bar exit was added to the playground's entrance too. Students will be able to exit during an emergency, but no one will be able to enter. In addition to locked doors, additional security guards will man the external doors of the building. 

Two public address systems at Hamilton School were fixed as of Tuesday, April 18. During the interim, those classes were given walkie-talkies so they could still receive updates from building administration. 

We are ensuring that building administrators do not take lunch during the students’ lunches. They will be available to manage the building as necessary. Two additional school monitors were also added to Hamilton School for a total of four. While security guards take lunch, parents can be assured that there will at least always be monitors at the front door, the playground, and the backdoor. All external doors will always be manned.  

In the near future, a state-of-the-art security camera system will be added to Hamilton School as a part of a districtwide initiative to equip each school with sufficient security cameras. All camera systems will have complete coverage of the interior and exteriors of each school. On April 19, an outside security consultant is conducting an evaluation of each school to determine if there are other improvements needed in terms of security guards, doors, or gates.  

Mount Vernon High School has been completed with 158 cameras, and Cecil H. Parker School is also completed with 74 cameras. Edward Williams School is 50% completed with an estimated completion at the end of the month. Benjamin Turner Middle School is in progress, and there will be 73 security cameras. The next two schools that will be completed are Lincoln and Traphagen School with 93 cameras each. These six schools in phase one of the security system plan are all scheduled to be completed at the end of the school year.  

Public address and phone systems at all schools will be repaired to provide communication between building administrators and all students and staff. 

Cecil H. Parker School’s public address system is completed, and the phone system is in progress with a completion estimate of April 21. Edward Williams School’s public address system is fixed, and the telephone system is also scheduled to be completed by April 21. Benjamin Turner Middle School’s public address system is completed, and the phone system has a completion estimate for April 28. Lincoln School’s public address system is finished, with a phone system update by April 28. Traphagen School’s public address system is completed, and the phone system will be fully functioning by April 21. MVHS public address and phone systems are also in progress and will also be completed by April 21.  

The district will continue to bolster its security protocols and provide a safe environment at all its schools. We appreciate your concern and your patience as we work diligently and as quickly as possible to resolve these issues. 

 
Sincerely, 
 

Dr. K. Veronica Smith, Acting Superintendent of Schools