BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES SECURITY RECOMENDATIONS

  

The Brenham School Board voted to approve the recommendations from the Safety and Security Committee that met in May and June.  Among the recommendations are increasing Resource Officers on the campuses, adding safety entrances to Krause Elementary, Junior High, High School and the Early Childhood Learning Center.  The committee also recommended adding more security cameras, suppling door bars for securing classroom doors, requiring all students and school personnel to wear IDs, adding a councilor to support students with emotional of social issues, and improving visitor check-in procedures.  Some of the recommendations are being kept confidential for security reasons.  Committee member and Texas Ranger Jeff Wolf told the board that arming school personnel was not a viable option:

.

Superintendent Walter Jackson said that many of the recommendations are already being implemented and that the District has the funds to pay for them regardless of whether the state decides to provide funding.  He also said that this is an issue of the heart and mind of the offender and not how many officers you can have at the school.

In other action, new Athletic Director Eliot Allen reported to the board that he has been meeting with the coaches, parents and the student athletes and that he is excited about the upcoming school year.  Allen introduced some of the new coaches at the High School including Head Boys Basketball Coach Quintin Mason, Offensive Coordinator Ben Ramsey, Defensive Coordinator Roy Favor and Head Athletic Trainer Jamie Woodall.

The school board approved a 2.5 percent midpoint raise for the 2018 – 2019 school year.  Director of Business and Finance Kim Weatherby said that this was above the market average of 2 percent.  The board also awarded the bid for gasoline and diesel to Kolkhorst Petroleum for the upcoming school year.  They also received an update on the renovation projects at Krause Elementary School and the Early Childhood Learning Center Library.  Both projects are progressing with the Krause renovations expected to be down to the wire to be completed for the first day of school.

The board awarded this month’s “You Make a Difference Award” to James Pharon for his help in documenting this year’s Cub Talks Emerging Leaders Symposium.  Superintendent Walter Jackson also recognized each member of the board with the award for being named this year’s Region 6 School Board of the Year.