CCSD To Beef Up Campus Security

RISON - The Cleveland County School District is planning to use its portion of some state money for school security to upgrade security cameras across campus as well as in stall new steel entry doors on some buildings. Superintendent Craig Dupuy revealed the plans during the Cleveland County School Board’s regular monthly meeting Monday night. It was one of several issues that Dupuy addressed with the school board after the administrative staff gave the annual Report to the Public. (The Herald will have a story on that report next week). Over the summer, the Arkan‐sas legislature approved using $50 million from the state’s $1.5 billion surplus to go toward im‐proving security at the state’s public schools. Dupuy presented the board with a bid of $56,124 from Genesis Datacom to make the security upgrades on campus. He said it includes replacing the existing analog cameras with new cameras that provide a much sharper picture. In addition, the bid includes replacing the existing entry doors to the 5th-6th grade building with steel doors that will have electronic locks. Dupuy said he does not know yet how the state plans to distribute the $50 million in security money, but he does expect the district to receive enough to cover most of, if not all, the costs of the upgrades. In another facilities-related matter, Dupuy said the district is completing a request seeking (continued from page 1) partnership money to help pay for expanding the school cafeteria, which was one of the projects included in the millage request last month. The district received news from the state earlier this year that it had been awarded partnership money to help replace the heating/air conditioning units at the high school. Under the partnership program, the state pays for a portion of the cost for facility improvements based on the district’s “wealth index.” Dupuy said the Cleveland County School Dist...