Thursday, March 21, 2013
The district will spend just over $100,000 to install a visitor notification system at every school building this spring, $50,000 less than they originally planned.
Birmingham Public Schools isn't spending as much as it thought it would to boost the safety of students across the district. On Tuesday night, the Birmingham Board of Education voted to spend $106,807 to install "visitor notification systems" (VNS) at every school building across the district this spring. The VNS system involves installing new security cameras and intercoms at every building, and then keeping the front doors locked during the day. When visitors need to get into the school, they'll first talk to a school secretary over the intercom. School staff will also be able to scope out visitors on new monitors installed in main offices. The VNS system is part of a comprehensive set of new security measures first presented to the …
Friday, March 1, 2013
The third leg of Birmingham's new school safety plan involves looking at anti-bullying policies and character education programs, as well as fostering a culture of respect among students.
When leaders Birmingham Public Schools think about keeping students and teachers safe in light of the Sandy Hook shooting, it's about more than just security cameras, locked doors and intercom systems. It's about fostering a culture of respect among students, ensuring that everyone feels safe in the classroom. That's the third — and some might say most important — part of a new set of school safety recommendations formally adopted by the Birmingham Board of Education Tuesday night. "At the end of the day, it has to be our collective commitment to make sure we have good culture in our schools, and good behavior in our schools," Superintendent Daniel Nerad said Tuesday. "That has to be our community commitment." The safety recommendations …
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Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The new security system will cost Birmingham Public Schools around $150,000 and be installed at all school buildings by May 3.
Heightened security will soon be coming to a Birmingham school near you this spring, after the Birmingham Board of Education voted Tuesday night to accept a series of safety recommendations from Superintendent Daniel Nerad. A big part of those recommendations: installing new "visitor notification systems" (VNS) — which involves security cameras and intercoms — at every building in the district by May 3. While the total cost of purchasing and installing the VNS system has yet to be determined, the district estimates it will cost around $150,000. The recommendations were part of a new Safe Schools report first presented to the school board on Feb. 5, crafted by district officials after the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. The new …
42.545085
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Birmingham Public Schools — Administrative Offices
550 W Merrill St, Birmingham, MI
/articles/security-cameras-intercoms-coming-to-all-birmingham-schools
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Thursday, February 7, 2013
"I think what you're doing is very good," Birmingham's police chief told the Birmingham Board of Education Tuesday night.
As administrators from Birmingham Public Schools look to improve safety and security across the district, they're moving forward with local police departments at their side. At the Tuesday night meeting of the Birmingham Board of Education, Birmingham Police Chief Don Studt and Beverly Hills police officer Lee Davis thanked school officials for helping them breathe a little easier. “I’m very glad you’re taking these proactive steps,” said Davis, who also serves as the school liaison officer at Groves High School. Both Studt and Davis spoke as part of a presentation by Superintendent Daniel Nerad and Deputy Superintendent Paul DeAnglis, during which they outlined the school district’s long-term plans for safety and security. The …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Superintendent Daniel Nerad listed his administration's plans for upping security at all Birmingham school buildings during the Tuesday night school board meeting.
New ways to monitor visitors at Birmingham's school buildings, as well as more lockdown drills for students and teachers, may soon be on the way for the students and staff at Birmingham Public Schools. Both recommendations were part of a new Safe Schools report presented to the Birmingham Board of Education Tuesday night. The report was crafted by Superintendent Daniel Nerad and Deputy Superintendent Paul DeAngelis, both of who have been studying the district's security policies after the elementary school shooting in Newtown, CT. "This is a conversation that this community needs to have," Nerad said. "The goal is to ensure the greatest safety for our children." On Tuesday night, school board members took a look at the district's plans for…
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Beginning Tuesday, new security guards will be stationed at locked front doors at all Birmingham school buildings. In addition, Pierce Elementary begins a test of an intercom-based visitor notification system.
Parents dropping off or picking up kids from school will find security a little tighter today as Birmingham Public Schools begins to implement new security measures Tuesday — most notably, locked doors and security guards manning the front doors of all buildings. Also today, parents of Pierce Elementary students will start test-piloting a new "vistor notification system" (VNS) involving intercoms, security cameras and buzzers at all the school's main doors. The new safety measures are part of a month-long review of security policies at Birmingham Public Schools, sparked by the shooting at a Newtown, CT, elementary school in mid-December. Immediately after the shooting, Birmingham Superintendent Daniel Nerad announced that the district …
Friday, January 25, 2013
Educators from school districts across Oakland County, including Birmingham, attended a large-scale active shooter training session in Waterford today.
BIRMINGHAM, MI -- Run, hide or fight. Those three actions may save your life in an active shooter situation similar to December’s shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CN, according to Oakland County Homeland Division officials. About 85 Oakland County school administrators, teachers and school staff — including more than a dozen from Birmingham — focused on the kind decisions one may have to make in an active shooter situation during a 2-hour training session at the Executive Office Building in Waterford Thursday. The important takeaway — react quickly. Teachers were told to have an evacuation plan prepared and as a first action to flee a bad situation, bringing their students with them, but only if it’s safe to do so. If it is …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
As part of a short-term plan to beef up security throughout the school district, locked front doors at Birmingham school buildings will soon be manned by security personnel.
As part of a district-wide review of school safety and security policies, Birmingham Public Schools will soon start locking the front doors of all school buildings during the day and hire security guards to regulate visitors. Superintendent Daniel Nerad made the announcement at the Tuesday meeting of the Birmingham Board of Education. "This is done in the memory of the victims of Sandy Hook," Nerad said, adding, "We should do as much as we reasonably can to ensure there is enough safety (at our schools)." The decision was made as part of a month-long review of security policies at Birmingham Public Schools, sparked by the shooting at a Newtown, CT, elementary school in mid-December. Immediately after the shooting, Nerad announced that the …
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Birmingham Public Schools — Administrative Offices
550 W Merrill St, Birmingham, MI
/articles/in-security-move-birmingham-schools-will-start-locking-front-doors-during-the-day
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
Birmingham Schools Superintendent Daniel Nerad says 'we need to feel a sense of shame' about the Newtown shooting, promises review of school safety procedures by end of January.
According to Birmingham Superintendent Daniel Nerad, student safety at Birmingham Public Schools is a top priority — but there's always more that can be done. That's why Birmingham Schools will soon be embarking on a review of the district's safety and security policies, a move sparked by the recent shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, CT. During that incident, 27 people — including 20 children, six adults and the shooter — died at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Immediately following the shooting, Nerad released a statement, noting "our children are precious." Like many surrounding school districts, Birmingham Schools then stepped up security measures at all buildings Monday, bringing in officers from the Birmingham and Beverly …
42.545085
-83.220226
Birmingham Public Schools — Administrative Offices
550 W Merrill St, Birmingham, MI
/articles/we-owe-it-to-our-children-birmingham-superintendent-vows-to-review-safety-rules
1714361
/locations/8614463
Racer Boy
9:45 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
I would like to know what happens when a deranged individual walks up to the front door, hits the buzzer, is denied access and then he pulls out his weapon or a brick and casually and easily shoots/breaks out the glass and simply walks in the school to carry out his plan of destruction. This type of security is great protection from the Fed-Ex or UPS guy. It just doesn't seem like it would do … more ›