The Oglethorpe County Board of Education approved an intercom system for the middle and high school, and new classroom locks for all its schools at Tuesday night’s meeting.
“If we have the money; it’s a good safety move,” said Becky Soto, BOE chair. “And even if we were afraid we didn’t have the money, if you’re going to spend it anywhere, why not spend it on the safety?”
The intercom system at Oglethorpe County High School will cost $83,000 and the middle school system will be $72,430. Those costs will be covered by a $249,000 safety and security grant designated for rural school systems from the Georgia Department of Education.
The system will allow administrators to make announcements anywhere in the building, and includes signage in the hallways to alert students and staff in case of an emergency.
The board also approved the installation of LifeBolt locks on all classroom doors in the school system.
LifeBolt is a push-pull lock system that can activate quickly in emergency situations, withstand gunshots and doesn’t require power, according to the company’s website.
The cost will be about $41,000, which also will be covered by the safety and security grant.
The board also approved Jonathan Fogarty as a new special education teacher at Oglethorpe County Middle School.
Superintendent Beverley Levine recommended Fogarty, who was a former middle school teacher in the county who specializes in special education.
There have been at least 16 new students added to the school system since January, with four of those requiring special education services.
The additional students also mean that two general education classes need to be added next year, for the third and fourth grades.
“I met with Katie (Baldwin, OCES principal) last week, and it’s just a huge concern. Where do you put two new gen ed classes?” Levine said. “And it’s not like, ‘Oh, this would be nice to have,’ this is a ‘We must have this.’ ”
The board recognized the OCMS Horse Quiz Bowl team that recently won the state championship for the second year in a row.
Levine also talked about the One School One Book program that began at OCES this month. Students, staff and parents throughout the county will read “Simon B. Rhymin’.”
“They read a chapter in school, and then they encourage you to read at home, with the parents,” Levine said. “It’s kind of like a whole school community. I think the sheriff gets one.”