For school administrators, there’s not a single subject more serious than keeping their buildings and students secure and safe.
“It’s the most sobering part of my job,” said Justin Milner, the associate superintendent and chief operating officer of Norman Public Schools. “It’s something we think about 24/7, today more than ever.”
As the 2024-25 school year starts across Oklahoma, districts are constantly devising and working on ways to keep kids safe — not just from intruders, but also from storms, especially with strong memories of the mammoth 2013 tornado that destroyed two elementary schools in the Moore Public Schools district and killed seven students at Plaza Towers Elementary in south Moore.
Security improvements range from the simple — door locks, fencing and cameras — to higher-ticket items such as school resource officers, or SROs, and building additions.
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The Deer Creek school district has used a $45,000 grant its foundation received from convenience store chain Casey’s to help the district start to purchase safety devices for more than 1,200 doors throughout the district in northwest Oklahoma County.