Levittown schools propose $3M in security upgrades

2018-19 budget to add security guards, social workers

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UPDATE: The breakout box listed the upcoming dates for Wantagh Schools. All dates were correct for the Levittown School Board, and the title was changed to accurately reflect these dates

After listening to parent concerns over school safety and security since the Feb. 14 Parkland school shooting, the Levittown Board of Education voted to add a third proposition to their May 15 budget vote, in which tax payers will decide on a $3 million districtwide security upgrade to classroom doors and windows.

The proposed upgrade will use up the rest of the district’s 2013 Capital Reserve Fund, and some of the 2017 fund. Because of how this upgrade will be funded, it will not affect the board’s proposed $216 million budget for 2018-19, nor taxy levy increases which stand at 2.7 percent and 1.99 percent respectively.

“This is a large expense and I wanted to utilize a reserve, rather than asking for a larger tax increase from our tax payers,” said Levittown School Superintendent Dr. Tonie McDonald.

The board did not specifically detail the upgrades that would begin July 1, due to security concerns. However, the proposition wording suggests the doors and windows will be fitted with bullet resistant material seen in other U.S. school districts.

Along with revealing this proposition during the March 13 meeting, the board detailed plans to increase the district’s $124.7 million Human Resources budget by adding more security guards.

Should the board’s proposed budget pass, the MacArthur and Division Avenue High Schools would receive two additional security guards, and every other school in the district would hire one additional guard.

“We feel that an additional presence of security guards will continue to harden our buildings,” McDonald explained, “thereby making them more secure.”

The district also plans to increase its mental health and social work staff, budgeting in two additional elementary school social workers as well as one secondary school psychologist.

Before the board spoke about these plans for increased school security and mental health treatment, Susan Silberger, chair of the Levittown Parent Teacher Association Budget Advisory Committee, spoke on behalf of her committee.

“Most of the [PTA’s] concerns center around school pride and the safety of our students,” Silberger said.

Silberger did not state any specific suggestions for increased school safety, and grouped the PTA’s ideas into instruction and maintenance categories. These recommendations included the beautification of all schools, such as installing signs similar to the updated secondary schools signs at all Levittown schools, and the continued use of the district’s elementary school outdoor learning environments.