Oct 25, 2018 3 min read

School safety was at the forefront of Ringgold School Board’s meeting Tuesday.

The Valley Inn Sportsmen’s Association presented the district with a $28,984 dontation for the purchase of 245 additional JAMBLOCK devices for the middle school and elementary schools. JAMBLOCK is a lightweight piece of steel that can be quickly placed under a door to secure it. The device may be installed and removed within seconds. Ringgold police Chief Clayton Shell said the devices have been in all of the high school rooms for about eight years. He added this donation will be used to install the devices not only in middle school and elementary classrooms, but in common areas such as cafeterias, media rooms and offices.

High school consumer science teacher Katie Warren also gave the board a presentation on a window covering project in the event of an intruder. The idea of high school Principal Jason Minniti, Warren enlisted the help for some of her students to design and make the coverings. The cloth coverings attach to the top of the window and are secured with snaps that can be released within seconds, unfurling a covering to prevent an intruder from seeing inside a classroom.

“We had a drill and the coverings worked very well. You could not see inside the rooms,” said Warren. She added the coverings will prevent anyone from seeing if a room is occupied or if students and faculty are escaping through a window and provides another layer of security. The coverings have been installed at the high school and the remaining schools will be getting the coverings after the Christmas break.

“This project has been a great experience for my students. It has helped to teach them design, working the sewing machines and utilizing their skills,” said Warren.

Monongahela resident Amy Dooley addressed concerns about the safety of a bus stop at the former Hilltop Bar on Fourth Street in Monongahela.

“I have talked to Monongahela police, city council and the mayor. They have all agreed to write a letter to (the state Department of Transportation.) I am asking you to write a letter to PennDOT,” she said. “My daughter and her friends nearly were hit by a car crossing the street to the bus stop. Cars have been clocked at 62 mph and speed limit is 35 mph. I have witnessed three vehicles run through the bus stop stop sign.” Dooley added the police and district officials have been responsive.

Superintendent Megan VanFossan said the district will send a letter to PennDOT and is looking at bus stop options around the district.

“Student safety is on the top of my list each and every day,” she said.

Shell added, “I have been checking out stops all over the district. We cannot pull people over and cite them. But we can have a car at the bus stop and contact the local police to cite them. We have been discussing using a marked or unmarked car to follow the bus.”

Dooley suggested bus drivers talk to the children about bus safety. “I don’t want to take from teaching time, but I think if teachers, once a month, could go over safety of getting on and off a bus and crossing the street, it would help the students,” she said.

The November regular board meeting has been rescheduled to 7 p.m. Nov. 20 and the reorganization meeting will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 5.