Marion invests over $1M in school safety

Investments include new technology, expanded security team, and more

By ANDY WELD

MSD Communications

Marion School District students headed back to school last week, and with the new school year has come added measures to ensure the health and safety of students and staff. Over the past two years, the Marion School District has invested more than $1 million in its school safety program and infrastructure.

“The safety and well-being of our students and staff has always been our top priority,” said Dr. Mike Skelton, the district’s assistant superintendent for secondary education and operations. “Ensuring our students have an environment where they can come to school, feel safe, and feel nurtured is the cornerstone for everything else we do as a school district.”

Among the safety upgrades the district has made:

■ ■ Installation of nearly 500 cameras in classrooms, hallways, offices, common areas, buses, and outdoor spaces.

■ ■ Installation of modern access controls at each campus entry point.

■ ■ New cybersecurity programs, strengthening Internet security across the

See SAFETY, page A3

Dr. Mike Skelton, MSD assistant superintendent for secondary education and operations, and the rest of the Marion educational staff are working with increased safety measures as students return to campus for the 2024-25 school year.

Photo courtesy of MSD SAFETY

From page A1

district.

■ ■ Continued operation of the district’s School-Based Health Clinic. Located at Marion High School, the clinic offers almost every service imaginable to students and staff. Marion is one of only a handful of districts in Arkansas to provide a health care clinic like this on a school campus.

■ ■ Renewed focus on mental health – Marion was selected as one of three pilot districts in the state for a new $8.8 million grant program through AFMC to improve mental health among educators.

■ ■ Expanded team of safety officers, ensuring every campus has a manned security presence.

■ ■ Upgraded fire alarm system.

■ ■ Upgraded panic alert system, utilizing state-of-the-art RAVE technology.

■ ■ Vape sensors installed in school bathrooms across the district.

■ ■ Increased use of body cameras by both safety officers and school administrators.

Skelton said the investment in added safety officers has been one of the most important steps the district has taken. The district’s safety team consists of both School Resource Officers, who are employed through the partnership with the Marion Police Department; and Campus Safety & Security Officers. The security team is led by Joseph White, the district’s security coordinator.

“We’ve been able to make some impressive hires, and our officers are so good with our students,” Skelton said. “Having that positive relationship with students is our top objective. When you have that strong relationship, students are more likely to report things they see or hear that aren’t right.”

Skelton also noted that the district has made considerable investments to ensure its safety officers receive extensive training. He also said additional safety improvements are on the way, “We’re not done yet,” he said. “We are constantly evaluating our systems and procedures, researching new technology and new approaches for school safety, and looking for more ways to keep our schools safe. We are committed to doing everything we can to keep our schools safe, and we intend to continue investing heavily in that pursuit.”