School safety a major factor in bond election

One of the major focuses of the Ponca City School District’s bond election on Tuesday, Oct. 13, is the safety of students, Superintendent Dr. David Pennington said.

“As we have bond funds available, we have been relocating the offices to the front of the school buildings. In the front vestibules we have installed bullet-resistant glass and door frames,” he said.

“This gives us a way to check into our buildings,” he said. “Anyone with the intent of doing harm will have to leave.”

Pennington said the need for bullet-resistant glass and door frames became known following the attack on Sandy Hook School.

“We are being proactive without building a rock wall around our buildings,” he said.

“It is always a balance between schools that are inviting with a reasonable amount of security,” Pennington said.

Part of the security at schools includes a device to scan a visitor’s driver’s license for a quick background check, Pennington said. The device also prints the person’s photograph and a visitor’s badge. The ink on the photo and badge fade shortly after they are issued so they cannot be given to another person outside the building.

“These are things we wouldn’t have thought of in the past,” Pennington said.

Another security measure involves building a secure corridor between the Howell building at Ponca City High School and the Fine Arts building.

“We have been very fortunate. Since 1995, t he community has been investing in itself,” Pennington said. “We never take that for granted. We hope we can continue to make improvements to all our schools.

“The people who get the most benefit from this election don’t get to vote. They have to depend on adults to do what’s best for children,” Pennington said.