Billings, Montana – Billings Public Schools is taking significant steps towards improving safety across all its campuses following a detailed safety audit by Secure Environmental Consultants (SEC) in November 2023.
Comprehensive Audit and Action Plan
The extensive audit encompassed all 37 school buildings and administrative sites within the district, yielding over 50 recommendations to boost safety for both students and staff. These suggestions aim to create a safer and more secure environment in every school.
Joe Halligan, the School Safety Coordinator, in coordination with the District Safety Committee, is at the forefront of developing immediate and long-term strategies to implement these recommendations. The proposed safety measures are diverse and comprehensive. They include installing uniform camera systems across schools, updating public address and intercom systems, initiating gang prevention programs, and providing additional emergency response training for staff.
Further measures include setting up a security operations center, increasing the number of school resource officers, adding more mental health specialists, implementing a visitor management system, and providing Automated External Defibrillator (AED) systems in all schools. Additionally, plans to expand the nursing staff were also recommended.
Each school received specific recommendations tailored to its unique needs and circumstances, ensuring a personalized approach to safety.
Immediate and Long-term Safety Enhancements
Halligan highlighted the audit’s effectiveness in pinpointing immediate safety concerns and facilitating strategic planning for future safety enhancements. He explained, “The safety audit has helped us identify things that are ‘right under our noses’; things that we can take action on immediately. Additionally, it is helping our team create a solid foundation for long-term planning when it comes to the physical safety and security of each school.”
Short-term actions, such as forming safety teams in each building, are set to be implemented soon. However, some of the recommended measures will require additional resources to be fully realized.
Superintendent Erwin Garcia expressed his understanding of the community’s heightened concerns about school safety. He affirmed, “Having attentively heard the collective voice of our community, a resounding message emerges: there is a compelling need to improve safety measures within our schools.”
Billings Public Schools is planning to propose a safety levy on the May 2024 ballot in response to the SEC’s recommendations. While the specifics of the levy are still being worked out, this step underscores the district’s dedication to enhancing safety in line with the audit’s findings, demonstrating a commitment to the well-being of its students and staff.
