Academic accolades, capital improvements & security enhancements greet students this fall
By Kim Chiomento, Staff Writer, The Times
KENNETT – The Kennett Consolidated School District is kicking off the school year by announcing impressive academic test results, major capital improvements and improved security measures.
KCSD Superintendent, Dr. Barry Tomasetti, recently announced that district students’ performance on standardized testing has earned the school system a District Profile Score of 94.4 from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This rating places our District in the top 7% of schools in the entire Commonwealth. Additionally, Tomasetti said he is pleased to share that Kennett High School was rated as one of the best schools in the nation: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/27/america-s-top-high-schools.search_Kennett%20High%20School.html?
“These types of recognitions are of no surprise to those associated with our school system, and are a result of great teaching and learning. I would like to congratulate and thank our teachers for their tireless efforts to increase the learning of every child every day, our building administrators who keep our goals for achievement in the forefront, and most importantly our students and their families for their support and great focus on a daily basis,” says Tomasetti, “The Kennett Consolidated School District is truly a great place to learn.”
Bob Perzel, KCSD’s Director of Facilities & Construction, reports that a wide range of capital and security improvements occurred this summer at district schools:
Greenwood Elementary School is just one of many district schools that saw repairs and upgrades during the summer.
Greenwood Elementary School received new, moisture resistant ceilings and state of the art high-efficiency LED lighting in the original school hallways. Both New Garden and Greenwood Elementary schools, combined, had 15 of their classrooms’ carpet flooring replaced with new, vinyl-composite tile (VCT); a more hygienic, durable and lower maintenance flooring option.
New Garden had new wall-mounted cafeteria tables installed along with the re-paving of its parking lot and playground area this summer. Perzel notes, “Both areas were in poor condition.” The surfacing project was completed with the installation of new fencing that creates a physical barrier between the parking lot and playground; providing greater safety for students during the school day.
Kennett High School’s limestone facades were pressure-washed to remove accumulated grime and help restore the classic façade to its original beauty. Additionally, deteriorated cement was replaced in front of the high school’s gym lobby and along Kennett Middle School’s front entrance sidewalk.
Perzel represents KCSD on the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s Safe Schools Committee. This group meets several times a year to review best practices and includes representatives from each of Chester County’s school districts.
“The continued security of KCSD students remains a top priority,” says Perzel. Thanks to a grant from the Southeastern PA Regional Task Force, at a cost of approximately $1,600 per school, each of the District’s six schools have been outfitted with the Raptor Visitor Management Security System.
The Raptor system is widely used by other districts in Chester County, and at more than 10,000 K-12 schools and community facilities nationwide. The District expects the system to be fully operational, with the official rollout and education campaign, in coming weeks.
When a visitor wishes to enter a KCSD school, it will be a more secure process. Currently, visitors must be visually “OK’d” and “buzzed-in” via the main office where they are then required to sign-in. In addition to these steps, visitors will now be required to swipe their driver’s license which will be crosschecked by Raptor’s link to the National Sex Offender Registry.
If a visitor meets criteria to enter the school, then the Raptor System generates a guest pass that includes a photo of the visitor; helping to ensure that the visitor is indeed who they are presenting themselves to be for admittance. If criteria are not met, access to school will be denied and a specific protocol will implemented by trained staff.
KCSD is also improving its portable radio communications capabilities between schools and the District Office. Perzel explains, “In case of an emergency or national event that may cause landlines and cellular service to be overwhelmed and unusable, portable radios can provide an ideal secondary communications method.”
KCSD has revamped its former Safe Schools Plan to become the new, 312 pg., All Hazards Plan (AHP) with emergency procedures now NIMS (National Incident Management System) compliant. Becoming NIMS compliant closely aligns the District’s emergency terminology, staff roles and responses to those used by emergency and first responders. The end result is efficient, more accurate communications between school administration and those involved in responding to a crisis.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is requiring all districts to become NIMS compliant. KCSD teachers and staff have been provided with an AHP quick reference flip charts for their rooms highlighting specific procedures related to their school or facility. These procedures are also reinforced by regular drills.
Many know that Greenwood Elementary was severely impacted during the major winter storms experienced this year. As a result of downed trees and a related power surge, the school’s transformer was blown and its cooling tower damaged beyond repair; both were replaced under the District’s insurance policy this summer.
To learn more about these and other KCSD projects and events, please contact the Kennett Consolidated School District Offices (610) 444-6600 -or- visit KCSD’s home page: www.kcsd.org
