Safety concerns about middle school morning traffic

Question: Is there anything that can be done about the middle school traffic and congestion at 7:20 in the morning? There are parents dropping students off all over the place, trying to avoid waiting in a long line. Students are even crossing Rt. 107 so their parents don't have to wait in line. People cut across the parking lot in cars. It seems very unsafe. Perhaps a crossing guard, light, or left-hand turn restrictions are needed at that time of day. Something needs to be done to rectify this unsafe situation that occurs daily.

Answer: We're well aware of the problems that exist with traffic and safety at the middle school site, and we've made many attempts to address the problems in recent years. For instance, we requested that the county install either a traffic light or a blinking "school zone" sign on Rt. 107 near the entrance to the Perth campus, but the county denied our requests.

The property adjacent to the Perth campus that the district purchased as part of the capital project approved by voters in February 2013 is part of a long-term plan to expand parking at the Perth site and address safety concerns. We will continue to look for ways to improve student and family safety in this area, especially during the morning student drop-off times.
- answered by Stephen Tomlinson, superintendent of schools

Why are building lights on at night?

Question: Many evenings, when driving by both schools, we notice many lights on. Couldn’t we save some money and energy by eliminating the number of lights that are being left on day and night or by utilizing motion sensor lights or energy efficient lighting?


Answer: Several rooms in our buildings do have lights that turn on or off depending whether or not there is movement in the room. These lights do save energy. In addition, the lighting in our Middle School gym is being upgraded as part of the EXCEL capital project, and will be having energy-efficient, motion-sensor lights installed.

Overall, about 90 percent of the building’s lights are off when school is not in session. I believe the lights you are seeing are emergency lighting that is required by the state to be on to ensure safety and security. These lights never go off; however, they are using less energy than lights during the day. I think they appear brighter than they are because they illuminate the dark hill. If our schools were completely dark, it would be a security issue.

You may have also noticed lights on near our parking lots and bus garages. These lights are also on to ensure safety and security. We have security cameras set up to monitor the area and we need to have lights to properly monitor the area through the tape.
-answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent

Buildings open after hours

Question: I called the middle school last week about picking up my child's assignments and was informed, "You can come in and get it until 7 or 8 p.m." This implies that the doors are open and anyone can gain access. Is there any concern for safety and security by allowing just anyone to enter the school after hours? We have strict rules while the students are on campus, however after hours there appears to be free, unchecked access for everyone, including someone who may have malicious intent.

Answer: It's been a long-standing tradition of our Board of Education to keep our school buildings open after the traditional school day ends. Our school buildings serve as community gathering places -- several organizations use our facilities to hold meetings, and many residents walk our halls during the winter months as part of their fitness routines. It's not fair to our taxpayers for us to close our doors when the students go home.

That being said, we are aware of the security risks of keeping our doors open after hours. Over the past five years, we have greatly increased our security measures and added video surveillance. These measures have helped us catch and prosecute people who do harm to our buildings.
- answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent